The Golden State Warriors are looking at a roster that already feels tight, and the injury picture hasn’t helped. Jimmy Butler is sidelined, Kristaps Porziņģis is now dealing with sudden health issues, and what once looked like a promising offseason has turned into a more urgent search for help.
That’s why one name keeps coming up: Anthony Davis.
Golden State spent part of the summer chasing big swings, including LeBron James and Davis. As ESPN’s Anthony Slater reported, “The Golden State Warriors are planning a pursuit of LeBron James in free agency and Anthony Davis via trade this week, league sources told ESPN's Shams Charania, opening up the flexibility for such a possibility after Draymond Green declined his $27.6 million player option Monday morning,”
The LeBron path didn’t happen, and the Davis chase never came together either. But according to The Athletic’s Josh Robbins, Davis’ agent Rich Paul could still be working the market as the season moves along.
“But Davis’ agent, Rich Paul, is one of the game’s most powerful player representatives, and he has proven skilled at securing the deals his high-profile clients want, in the cities where they want to be. There’s little doubt that Paul already has gamed out other teams’ interest in Davis and will continue to do so as February’s trade deadline approaches,” Robbins wrote.
CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn sees Golden State as the most obvious destination if Davis becomes available. “The Wizards reportedly plan to wait until the middle of the season to reopen extension negotiations, but if Davis plays well and stays healthy, there will be a market to flip him by February. Golden State is the obvious one, especially with Kristaps Porziņģis already dealing with a medical issue,” Quinn wrote.
A deal would not come cheap. The Warriors would have to send out a serious package to get Davis, but that kind of move could fit their timeline if they want to keep some flexibility for next offseason. It would also give Curry another high-level running mate.
And on the floor, the fit is hard to ignore. Pairing Davis with Draymond Green would give Golden State a nasty defensive backbone, one that could make life miserable for opposing offenses. It still feels like a long shot, but with Curry’s championship window narrowing, the Warriors could keep swinging for something big.
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