The Golden State Warriors appear to be stuck. The team is right in the middle of the Western Conference and seems to be too good to land in the lottery, but not good enough to contend.
As a result, the team has been linked to some huge names on the trade market. However, head coach Steve Kerr’s recent comments seem to indicate a big trade may not be coming after all.
Steve Kerr Confident in Warriors Roster With Jimmy Butler Impact
After falling to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night, the Warriors are now sitting at 18-17. If the season ended today, the team would be in the Play-In Tournament as the No. 8 seed.
Recently, Kerr appeared on “95.7 The Game” and talked about the current state of his roster. The longtime coach explained that he feels “really good” about the state of his roster and pointed to Jimmy Butler as a key reason for this optimism.
“To me, the bottom line is, we have Jimmy Butler now. A year ago, we did not…having both [Jimmy and Steph] of those guys and the continuity from last year…I feel really good about where our roster is, and I don’t think we have to do anything necessarily, but I know that [Mike Dunleavy] is going to do everything he can to improve the roster,” Kerr explained.
As Kerr mentioned, Butler hasn’t even been on the team for a year yet. The team acquired Butler ahead of last year’s trade deadline, and it is hoped that his chemistry with Curry will only improve. Curry is still playing like a star, even at age 37. The future Hall of Famer is averaging 28.7 points per game, while Butler is averaging a respectable 19.7. However, the team isn’t getting enough offense outside of that star duo.
Per NBA Advanced Stats, the Warriors are just 21st in net offense rating. On the other hand, however, the team is fourth in net defense rating.
Will the Warriors Make a Big Move Ahead of the Deadline?
While the team has been rumored to be interested in players like Anthony Davis, Kerr’s comments seem to indicate a move of that magnitude is unlikely.
The most likely move is a trade involving disgruntled wing Jonathan Kuminga. Kuminga is eligible to be traded on January 15, and the team could look to send him away for a player who can help compete this season.
The Warriors will also likely be active in the buyout market after the deadline. It’s clear the team wants to compete for a title again while Curry is still playing at an elite level, but also doesn’t want to mortgage the future.
