The Golden State Warriors entered this season eyeing the trade deadline as a pivotal moment-an opportunity to reinforce their core and make a real push alongside Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler. But plans in the NBA can shift in an instant, and Butler’s season-ending ACL injury has thrown a wrench into what was shaping up to be a bold midseason strategy.
Now, with Butler sidelined for the year, the Warriors are forced to reassess everything. One thing hasn’t changed, though: the urgency surrounding Stephen Curry’s championship window. He’s still playing at an elite level, but Father Time is undefeated, and Golden State knows it’s now or never if they want to squeeze another title run out of this era.
Rumors leading up to the deadline have linked the Warriors to players like Michael Porter Jr. and Trey Murphy-solid names, no doubt. But with Butler out, the front office may need to think even bigger. And that’s where an intriguing name enters the conversation: Zion Williamson.
Now, to be clear, there are no official reports tying the Warriors to Williamson. This isn’t a rumor with legs-yet. But on a recent episode of his podcast, Bill Simmons floated the idea, suggesting that Golden State should at least entertain the possibility of making a move for the former No. 1 pick.
And it’s not hard to see why the idea is compelling.
Williamson remains one of the most physically dominant players in the league when healthy. This season, he’s averaging 22.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.5 assists while shooting a blistering 58.5% from the field.
His ability to bulldoze his way to the rim is unlike anything else in the NBA. Put that kind of force next to Curry’s gravity and shooting, and you’ve got a potentially devastating offensive pairing.
But-and it’s a big but-availability has always been the question with Zion. He’s only played more than 65 games once in his career.
Three of his seasons have been limited to 30 games or fewer. That kind of track record makes any trade for him a high-stakes gamble.
The financials don’t make it any easier. Williamson is still in the early stages of a five-year, $197 million contract. Even if his trade value has dipped due to injury concerns, acquiring him would still cost the Warriors significant assets-possibly including Butler’s contract to make the numbers work.
Still, Golden State is in a position where they have to consider everything. They can’t afford to punt on a season while Curry is still carrying the load. The Warriors have always been aggressive when the moment calls for it, and this is one of those moments.
Zion may not be the safest option, but he’s one of the few players potentially available who could actually move the needle. For a team trying to keep its championship hopes alive, that kind of upside is worth a serious conversation.
So while there’s no indication that a Zion-to-Golden-State deal is imminent-or even being discussed behind closed doors-it’s the type of idea that deserves a seat at the table. Because for the Warriors, the clock is ticking, and the margin for error is razor-thin.