A season-ending damage was a significant blow for De’Anthony Melton and the Golden State Warriors, with the 26-year-old guard showing to have settled completely right into a beginning position alongside Stephen Curry within the backcourt.
As brutal because it was so quickly after the devastating damage information, commerce hypothesis grew not solely as a result of Melton leaves a significant gap for the Warriors to fill, but additionally as a result of his $12.8 million contract of expiring {dollars} is now an apparent buying and selling merchandise.
Golden State may take just a few totally different routes if it desires to vary Melton’s wage. They might mix him with different gamers/property to attempt to get a $20M+ participant, particularly in the event that they really feel they want a major improve.
Nonetheless, in the event that they merely need to do a 1-for-1 commerce, rebuilding groups may have an incentive to take Melton’s expiring wage in alternate for one in all their gamers if the Warriors acquire the required recruiting capital within the course of.
There are a selection of invaluable rotation gamers that Golden State may purchase in such a situation, so let’s rank six that might be obtainable earlier than the February 6 commerce deadline.
6. Jonas Valancuinas
Lethal veteran large man Jonas Valancuinas remains to be more likely to turn into a commerce candidate after signing a three-year, $30 million contract with the Washington Wizards through the offseason. Valancuinas is a extra proficient heart offensively than Trayce Jackson-Davis and Kevon Looney, doubtlessly offering the Warriors with a real post-up scoring menace who can sometimes step out and hit leap photographs.
There are, nevertheless, query marks over Valancuinas’ match inside Golden State’s system, which, mixed with the truth that he’ll doubtless have to surrender no less than a first-round choose to the Wizards, suggests the Warriors may do higher.
5. Larry Nance Jr.
A flexible participant on each ends of the courtroom, Larry Nance Jr. seems to be a Warrior-style participant who may even doubtlessly slot nearer into lineups alongside Draymond Inexperienced. It seems Golden State already has an analogous possibility with Kyle Anderson, which means the upside in all probability is not value it contemplating the Atlanta Hawks would want one thing vital to maneuver on from the participant. 31 years previous.
4. Dennis Schröder
Curiosity in Dennis Schroder may hinge on whether or not Brandin Podziemski improves his kind over the subsequent 6-8 weeks, and subsequently whether or not Golden State ought to think about buying a extra confirmed veteran level guard.
Schroder is having a fantastic season for the Brooklyn Nets, averaging 17.2 factors and 6.5 assists per recreation on over 40% 3-point taking pictures. He would immediately turn into arguably the very best backup level guard within the league with the Warriors, and will additionally play some minutes alongside Curry to permit the 2x MVP to play extra on the ball.
3. Robert Williams III
Trayce Jackson-Davis has returned to considerably wholesome kind in latest video games, however query marks stay over whether or not he will be the beginning heart for a deep playoff group. If the Warriors need an improve on the heart spot, a wholesome Robert Williams III would definitely present it.
The issue is that Williams is not a lot of an offensive menace, leaving comparable spacing points that Golden State already has on its dwelling courtroom. Mix that with the lengthy damage historical past and would the franchise actually be keen to surrender vital draft property to accumulate the previous Celtic?
2. Donte DiVincenzo
If the Warriors are searching for a Melton-specific substitute to start out alongside Curry within the backcourt, they in all probability will not do higher when it comes to contract affordability than contemplating getting Donte DiVincenzo again.
It is unlikely that the Minnesota Timberwolves put DiVincenzo on the desk so quickly after his acquisition, however no less than they did. already been placed on the agenda by Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints. A playoff group just like the Timberwolves is not going to cope with an injured Melton, though possibly there might be a 3-team commerce the place they get a unique rotation participant, a rebuilding group will get Melton and drafts property, and the Warriors would get DiVincenzo.
1. Kelly Olynyk
We all know Golden State had curiosity in Kelly Olynyk because the final commerce deadline, and so they may doubtless achieve this once more if the rebuilding Toronto Raptors make the Canadian obtainable. Olynyk’s measurement, taking pictures and ball-handling can be good for the Warriors’ entrance courtroom, maybe lastly fixing the void left after Otto Porter Jr.’s departure in 2022.
Olynyk would not essentially turn into a starter, however he would definitely be a part of finish lineups that give the Warriors spacing whereas sustaining measurement. The 6’11” large man was injured early within the season, however averaged 9.8 factors, 5.3 rebounds and 4.4 assists on 38.7% 3-point taking pictures in 2023- 24.
