The Golden State Warriors may have found a new wrinkle in the Karl-Anthony Towns conversation, and it starts with Yaxel Lendeborg.
If the New York Knicks’ contract talks with Towns remain stalled, Golden State could circle back on interest in the All-Star big man. Any midseason swing at Towns would almost certainly need Jimmy Butler in the deal, though, along with draft capital or a multi-team setup to satisfy the Knicks.
That’s where Lendeborg changes the temperature of the whole idea. The 11th overall pick has already earned a starting spot before the season even begins, and that kind of early traction makes a frontcourt overhaul look a little more realistic for the Warriors.
Lendeborg is already posing a lineup question for Steve Kerr once Butler returns. Who starts? And does Golden State eventually lean into a three-forward look with Butler, Lendeborg and Draymond Green?
In a perfect setup, the Warriors would still have a true center, and Towns fits that description. He averages nearly 23 points and more than 11 rebounds for his career, and he helped New York win its long-awaited championship earlier this year.
Golden State could prefer a different route, one that sends Green out and leaves the team with a front line of Butler, Lendeborg and Towns. But the math gets ugly fast.
A package built around Green and Kristaps Porzingis still comes up $10 million short of Towns’ $57.1 million salary, and a two-team deal would be extremely difficult for clubs sitting above the first tax apron. On top of that, there’s the awkward reality of Butler and Towns sharing a locker room again, given their history.
Still, if Lendeborg keeps looking like a legitimate starter - or even something more - by the trade deadline, the Warriors could find themselves staring at a Butler-for-Towns discussion that actually makes sense as a way to solve their center problem.
For now, Golden State may need Lendeborg to do a version of what Butler would have done for them. No one is expecting the rookie to replace Butler’s impact before the injury, but he might be good enough to force a real conversation later.
Butler is still out with a torn ACL, and there’s a real chance Lendeborg ends up as the team’s second-leading scorer behind Stephen Curry. Kerr and the staff have been pushing him to be more aggressive, and he answered that challenge Tuesday night with a team-high 17 points against the Los Angeles Lakers.
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For Golden State, the matchup adds another layer to a game already being watched closely because Simmons has not appeared in an NBA game since the 2024-25 season. There is intrigue both in how the Kings plan to use him positionally and in how the Warriors will look back on their decision to pass, especially with a player of Simmons' profile now returning to action in a uniform that is not theirs. [Read more 🡒]
Stephen Curry Just Put Pressure On The Warriors Front Office
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Currys comments about the state of the roster landed with extra weight because he is no longer speaking like a star simply enjoying the ride. By signing on again, he effectively doubled down on Golden States direction, but his remarks also underscored the pressure on the front office to keep pace with the realities of an aging core and a thin margin for error. However the season starts, the Warriors are carrying more than familiar championship expectations now, and Curry made sure that point is hard to miss. [Read more 🡒]