The Golden State Warriors are trying to extend the Stephen Curry era as long as they possibly can. In order to do that, they have to keep winning titles.
Their title window officially closes when he decides to retire. Curry will keep playing as long as he thinks he can keep winning championships and this trade proposal would help them do that.
After looking at the new CBA and using the Spotrac trade machine, here is what a deal could look like:
Warriors receive: Jonas Valanciunas
Washington Wizards receive: Kyle Anderson, Gui Santos, 2025 first-round pick
Golden State sits eighth in the Western Conference standings. If the season ended today, they would have to be in the play-in. The Warriors need to make some moves to make sure that doesn't happen, and Valanciunas gives them some much-needed depth at center.
Valanciunas gives the Warriors something they don't have right now; a center who is a bruiser that can also make threes. Kevon Looney doesn't stretch the floor off the bench, and Trayce Jackson-Davis doesn't make outside shots.
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While Valanciunas doesn't take a lot of them in Washington, he is a career 34 percent 3-point shooter. That's good enough to make defenses hesitate.
Certain matchups might necessitate a bigger center to start in a game as well, and Valanciunas is certainly capable of doing that. He's averaging 11.8 points and eight rebounds per game off the bench for a Washington team that isn't competitive right now. This trade benefits them in a big way as well.
Washington gets a first-round pick for a player who is not in their long-term franchise plans. Anderson also can be seen as a veteran who can help lead the young guys as they try to play through some mistakes. The Wizards are the second-worst team in the NBA by record.
Golden State needs to improve its roster in a way that doesn't mortgage the future. This trade gives away only one first-round pick, and it's one that wouldn't be very good if they end up winning as many games as they want.
The Warriors are the third-best team in total rebounds, but they are just 21st in contested rebound percentage. Valanciunas is strong and won't get boxed out easily, allowing him to grab a ton of contested rebounds.
Golden State isn't the only team interested in Valanciunas' services, so they need to make a move quickly. With just a month before the trade deadline, good deals like this are going to be hard to find for contending teams.
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