The Golden State Warriors at the moment personal a 20-20 report regardless of a exceptional 12-3 begin to the 2024-25 season, inserting the franchise eleventh within the Western Convention.
Now, outdoors of the Play-In match, Golden State’s latest struggles could possibly be diminished to 1 main occasion that passed off early within the new marketing campaign.
On December 4, Warriors reserve guard De’Anthony Melton efficiently underwent a surgical procedure to restore a partial ACL tear suffered in a recreation in opposition to the Dallas Mavericks on November 12.
Whereas it could seem to be a footnote within the general story of the Warriors’ season, the staff hasn’t been the identical since Melton’s damage and eventual departure through commerce to accumulate Dennis Schröder from the Brooklyn Nets .
After Melton’s unlucky damage, Golden State has gained simply 11 of its final 29 video games, with the group taking a step again on each ends of the court docket.
With that in thoughts, Warriors common supervisor Mike Dunleavy may very properly see this sample of failure and attribute it to the dearth of a flexible two-way level guard.
In an effort to interchange Melton’s manufacturing, Dunleavy may try to barter a cope with the Minnesota Timberwolves to accumulate their star participant Nickeil Alexander-Walker, as latest studies have indicated that Minnesota could also be pressured to maneuver on from the younger guard.
“Groups known as the Timberwolves about Nickeil Alexander-Walker earlier than the commerce deadline, supply says,” Evan Sidery of Forbes shared through Twitter/X on Friday afternoon.
“Minnesota at the moment has little interest in shifting Alexander-Walker, a soon-to-be unrestricted free agent, however administration is conscious of Minnesota’s looming monetary disaster.”
In what could possibly be an identical case to Karl-Anthony Cities when he was traded from the Timberwolves to the New York Knicks earlier than this season, Alexander-Walker may discover a new residence earlier than the February 6 commerce deadline due of the Minnesota Accord. monetary state of affairs as a franchise reaching the second tax bracket.
At 26 years previous, Alexander Walker has earned a repute as one of many league’s most constant choices off the bench. This season with Minnesota, the expert 3-and-D weapon is averaging 8.6 factors and a pair of.4 assists, coupled with an ultra-efficient subject aim proportion of 59.5%.
The 6-foot-5 guard is hitting a career-high 42.1 % of his three-point makes an attempt whereas boasting a 0.6 plus-minus defensive field, possible making him a terrific match within the system of the Warriors.
Alexander-Walker’s skillset is eerily much like Melton’s, which may make the six-year veteran a chief goal for Golden State.
In a deal for Alexander-Walker, it is possible Golden State may contain a younger participant like Brandin Podziemski or Moses Moody so as to add to Minnesota’s prospect room with draft capital.
