The Golden State Warriors had a path to a much bigger swing than the one they actually took.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Golden State talked with the Boston Celtics about a Jaylen Brown trade around the mid-season deadline, long before the Philadelphia 76ers pulled off their blockbuster move for the 2024 Finals MVP at the start of the month. Charania said the Warriors could have entered the Brown sweepstakes if they were willing to part with roughly four first-round picks, plus possible swaps and second-rounders, but they passed on the idea.
“The Warriors could've got in the Jaylen Brown sweepstakes if they wanted to give up 4 first round picks-ish, in that range. They decided not to from my understanding.
Those 2 teams, the Warriors and Celtics did talk about a Jaylen Brown trade around the trade deadline and it was around several first round draft picks, potential swaps, and seconds. The Warriors decided not to go down that route and so that's on them,” Charania said on The Stephen A.
Smith Show on Monday.
That report lands with extra force because of what happened on Friday, when James chose Philadelphia in a shock free agency move instead of heading to Golden State. The Warriors had been linked to James for years, and this time he was genuinely available and willing to take a minimum contract. Even so, Golden State never managed to close the deal.
The issue was always bigger than just landing James. As the source of the report makes clear, the Warriors needed another move to make themselves look like a real threat in the Western Conference, where the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder stood in the way. A trade for Anthony Davis had been viewed as the obvious answer, but Charania’s report shows Brown was another option the Warriors had on the table and walked away from.
Golden State seemed to bank on the pull of playing with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, along with the team’s closeness to James’ family in Los Angeles. That wasn’t enough. James’ competitive drive and his chase for another championship won out, and Philadelphia ended up making the kind of moves Golden State could have made itself.
The result is a brutal double miss for the Warriors. They passed on Brown, lost James to the 76ers, and now face the reality of a roster that looks nowhere near ready to contend. If next season turns into a fight just to reach the Play-In Tournament, these choices will sting even more.
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