Rating likelihood of every superstar Warriors trade idea
The Warriors have been connected to every available star this offseason. But just how realistic is a deal? We grade the likelihood of a blockbuster deal from Giannis to Embiid and everyone in between.
Editor's note: This story originally was published on Oct. 21.
Ever since Steph Curry broke his hand early last season, talk of the Warriors' revival has dominated the NBA landscape.
Once Andrew Wiggins arrived in February and the Warriors secured the No. 2 overall pick in August, the chatter surrounding the Warriors became enveloped in fake trades to bring another star to the Bay Area.
Names like Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bradley Beal, Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons, among others, have been tossed about as possible trade targets for the Warriors.
Of course, some of these are nothing more than a pipe dream, while others would take some cap finagling to make work.
Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green are preparing to return to title contention and prove that rumors of their demise have been greatly exaggerated.
But will they need another star to fulfill their desired climb back to the top? Will one of the Big Three have to on the trading block along with Wiggins? Is all this talk completely absurd because there's almost no way the Warriors will find a way to land another star? After all, 2020 isn't 2016.
Let's get into it.
This trade comes down to whether or not Blake Griffin is healthy and whether or not the Warriors think that acquiring the 31-year-old would be a good fit for how they want to play.
The trade would have Wiggins, another contract, and the No. 2 overall pick going to Detroit for Griffin and the No. 7 pick. That move gets the Warriors down the draft board where they would be more comfortable picking one of the players they have targeted.
The issue is that the Warriors are high on Wiggins and Griffin has been battling knee injuries for the past two seasons.
It's a gamble the Warriors would have to be confident in making, but one I don't think gets done. The Warriors want to see Wiggins work with Curry, Thompson and Green and Griffin wouldn't make them that much better.
Likelihood rating: Dwight Howard 3-pointer (I mean it does happen)
This idea has been floated for a few months now. If the Pacers want to mix things around, Turner is the likely candidate to get shipped out.
As it pertains to the Warriors, though, I only have one question: Why?
Turner, 24, has talent but has been relatively unspectacular in Indiana. Last season, he averaged 12.1 points and 6.6 rebounds per game while shooting 45.7 percent from the field and 34.4 percent from 3-point range.
The Warriors already have a need at wing, so trading away Wiggins, one of their two established wings, for a big who won't help them space the floor and has been underwhelming during his first five seasons just isn't worth it.
Likelihood rating: Charles Barkley finding the fairway off No. 1 tee in The Match (not happening)
Beal alongside Curry, Thompson and Green would be a sight to behold next season.
The first problem is that we don't really know what the Wizards want to do. They are waiting for John Wall to return from rehabbing his ruptured Achilles and don't appear to want to hit the reset button entirely.
If Beal demands a trade that would make things more interesting, obviously. A potential deal would include Wiggins, the No. 2 pick and the Minnesota Timberwolves' 2021 first-round pick.
Should Beal ask out within the next month, there's certainly a trade to be made. It's unclear if the Warriors would have the best offer, but there's would rank right up there.
At the moment, this doesn't pass the smell test because we have no idea what the Wizards or Beal want to do.
Likelihood of trade: Shaq making a fourth-quarter free throw (There's a chance but don't bank on it)
The 76ers trading one of their two stars looked very likely when they stuffed Brett Brown in a barrel and threw him off the Matterhorn before departing the NBA bubble.
But now that they have Glen "Don't Call Me Doc In Philly" Rivers at the helm, things seem a lot different. The 76ers went through "The Process" in order to find two or more stars to build a team around. After a few flameouts, Simmons and Embiid were the centerpieces left standing.
The 76ers surrounded them with a subpar head coach and now a roster that doesn't make any sense in today's NBA. They couldn't keep Jimmy Butler, overpaid Tobias Harris, signed an aging Al Horford and have no shooting around two stars who don't light it up from the perimeter.
All that being said, the 76ers want to let Rivers try to salvage the duo before parting ways with one of them. If Rivers finds the situation untenable, I'd assume Embiid, due to his health concerns and conditioning questions, would be the one on the table.
If that happens, the Warriors will find a way to be in the mix to acquire the All-Star big man. Until then, keep dreaming.
Likelihood of trade: Me being able to say no to chicken wings (not even on the table)
In case you've been living under a rock for the last year, the Warriors, along with every other team on the planet, are interested in somehow getting Giannis Antetokounmpo away from the Milwaukee Bucks.
Yes, the Bucks flamed out in the playoffs yet again and have to show Antetokounmpo they can put a winning team around him. Sure it's fun to live on Twitter and think that because Giannis plays with the Warriors on 2K and Curry is one of his favorite players that you might as well pencil him into the Warriors' starting lineup at some point.
It's. Just. Not. Going. To. Happen. And feel free to Old Takes Exposed me if it does.
Even if Antetokounmpo doesn't sign his extension, the Bucks reportedly are adamant about not trading him. And if I'm Jon Horst and Bob Myers calls me, I'm throwing my phone into the ocean.
Now let's get back to reality.
Likelihood of trade: Steph leaving Warriors (not even in an alternate dimension)
