Blockbuster NBA Trade Idea to Save Golden State Warriors’ Season After Jimmy Butler Injury
Obituaries for the Dubs’ dynasty are already being written. And rightfully so. If Golden State can’t snag someone to fill the sidekick slot next to Curry soon, then this joy ride is officially finished.
The Warriors can’t go out like this, can they? This group looked legitimately dangerous—dare I say, championship-level—for the past month (12-4 with the sixth-best net rating), and then, poof: one awkward landing, and the joy ride is just over? No last dance for the Dubs? No heroic sendoff for Steph? Just an it-is-what-it-is acceptance?
Perhaps that’s the most prudent long-term approach, but it just doesn’t feel like this franchise’s style. And maybe this is drawing too much from the #feelz department, but it just seems like Golden State can’t let this happen. Not when there are still trade chips to play. And not when Butler’s massive salary could facilitate another dream-big deal.
Anthony Davis wouldn’t be a clear replicate of Butler, but he could serve in similar co-starring capacities. Davis might come with even more injury risk (he’s currently sidelined with ligament damage in his left hand) and less shot-creation, but he could provide plenty of support scoring while also addressing nagging needs for size, rebounding and paint protection.
If the Warriors could just keep him upright, they’d have someone who averaged 24.7 points, 11.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.2 blocks just last season. And in the campaign prior, he posted the same or better averages across 76 contests while earning All-NBA and All-Defensive honors.
When he’s at his best, he is a true difference-maker. His play-finishing could flourish with such a dynamic playmaker like Curry. Davis would provide similar rim pressure as Butler, an essential skill for this otherwise jump shot-reliant offense. Having Davis on the interior would also give Golden State more than a puncher’s chance of handling some of the jumbo-sized obstacles lining the championship course.
All of the risk factors could prevent this from working, but if everything broke exactly right, the Warriors should have a chance of doing something. Maybe something pretty significant given Curry’s brilliance, Davis’ big-stage success (one title run under his belt) and the front office’s capacity to do more before the deadline if it wanted to just blow the budget entirely.
That’s a glass-overflowing level of optimism, obviously, but the Warriors can and should be dreaming as big as possible, because they’ve seen Curry’s ability to work miracles time and again. And since they know the window is quickly closing around their magician, they can and arguably should keep acting with a borderline reckless level of urgency.
