If the Warriors look to make a splash this offseason, there is one big name that could become available.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Wednesday, citing sources, that the Washington Wizards are working on trade scenarios with star shooting guard Bradley Beal this offseason.
The Warriors have been and will continue to be connected to just about any star player that might become available this offseason. This raises the question, will Golden State have an interest in trading for Beal? ESPN’s Jay Williams said Thursday on the “Keyshawn, JWill & Max” show that the Warriors make the most sense as a landing spot for Beal.
“It’s the best landing spot in the league … the Golden State Warriors,” Williams said. “It makes all the sense in the world. I go back to when Draymond Green punched Jordan Poole and the whole chemistry was just disrupted.”
Williams goes on to cite an incident in Game 6 of the first-round playoff series between the Warriors and Sacramento Kings where Poole appeared to rebuff Green’s encouragement on the court before appearing to be scolded on the bench by Steph Curry as a recent example of the team’s disrupted chemistry.
The Warriors are projected to be around $49 million over the $162 million luxury tax threshold next season, which would make adding a player like Beal, who currently has the fourth-largest contract ($43.27 million per season), quite difficult without offloading a contract or two.
“What you do with Klay [Thompson] coming off this year is a big-time question,” Williams explained. “But if you’re Golden State and you’re trying to extend the runway for Steph’s legacy in this continuity system, why don’t you think about letting Jordan Poole go ? You’re already talking about letting [Jonathan] Kuminga go, potentially Moses Moody. Now I don’t want to give up that much. I’ve heard people throwing, potentially, Klay Thompson as well with maybe a Kuminga and a Jordan Pool. If you’re not sure you want to pay him the supermax moving forward after the last year of his deal.”
Williams doesn’t discredit Thompson, who led the NBA in 3-pointers in 2022-23, for the season he had, but believes a move for Beal would extend the Warriors’ championship window with Curry.
“Is there a way to make a deal for a Bradley Beal, with Steph, with Andrew Wiggins, potentially with a guy like Dray …
“Klay’s had a solid season, I’m thinking about extending the championship runway for Steph,” Williams added. “And Bradley in that system with how they utilize the pick and roll, with how they utilize Steph with their movement. It fits flawlessly.”
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It appears that Williams’ ideal starting five for the Warriors, with Beal, would be Curry, Beal, Wiggins, Green and Looney. Is that lineup that much of an upgrade, if at all, over one that features Thompson and players like Poole, Kuminga and Moody off the bench?
The Warriors might not believe so.
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