Why This Trade Makes Sense For The Golden State Warriors
The main thing people think of when they think about the Golden State Warriors is their ability to normally be a great three-point shooting team. So far this season, Golden State ranks 12th in the league in three-point shooting percentage, but in most of their losses, they have really struggled to shoot from deep.
It almost seems like this team is going to live and die by hitting perimeter shots this year, which is exactly why targeting a player like Buddy Hield makes a ton of sense. He does play the same position as Klay, but if this team is going to make the playoffs this year, they are going to need another high-level offensive talent, something Kelly Oubre Jr. has not looked like this year.
Getting Buddy Hield would be an upgrade from Kelly Oubre Jr. even though it would make the Warriors smaller, but losing Kevon Looney could hurt this team in the second-unit. He has been a great “glue guy” for them for years now, but getting Hassan Whiteside could be a great addition for the Warriors.
Whiteside has always been known as a shot-blocker and rebounder and that is exactly what the Warriors would need him to be. Not to mention, he could be a great mentor for James Wiseman, who has a lot of potential to be a terrific two-way center in this league for a long-time.
The only part of this trade that may not make sense for the Warriors and could end up being the deal breaker is trading away two future picks. The second-round pick is not as valuable as the first-round pick in 2025, but for a team that prides themselves on building through the draft, this may not be something Golden State would be sold on.
If they made this trade, they would really have to ask themselves if Steph Curry, Buddy Hield and Klay Thompson could all play together on the court at the same time next year and if it would be worth it long-term. Obviously, it is looking like Kelly Oubre Jr. may not be on this team long-term, so trading him may be worthwhile, but could they actually succeed with basically a three-guard lineup?
