Golden State needs to do something. More play Stephen Curry At 37 years old as if he were 27, it becomes more obvious that perhaps he is further from the end of his career than previously thought. And it becomes clearer that The Warriors are missing more opportunities to fight for the title.
Curry is not just playing like an All-Star, but like a All-NBA. He is not a legend on the verge of retirement.
Therefore, now that there is less than a month left until the transfer market closes on February 5, it is time for Mike Dunleavy Jr. to once again put more chips in the center of the table.
And no, not with small adjustments to your template. This team is simply too far from being a candidate. They need to think big again, just like they did a year ago when they bet on Jimmy Butler.
Fortunately, They have the contracts and the picks of Draft to do it… And do it Sin Renunciar Butler of Draymond Green.
The first big chip of the trade season fell when the Hawks sent Trae Young to the Wizards, marking the official end of an era in Atlanta. In return, the Hawks received CJ McCollum, Corey Kispert and no draft picks, which could be an omen for teams looking to offload expensive distressed assets, of which there are many.
Charlotte and New Orleans enter the sceneboth saddled with onerous maximum contracts.
The transfer of LaMelo Ball and Zion Williamson that would fix the Golden State Warriors’ problems
While the NBA’s new salary restrictions and caps make it much more difficult to make deals that actually work, it’s not impossible.
The Hornets pay LaMelo Ball $37.9 million this season, with another three years totaling $131 million through the 2028-29 season.
For its part, Zion Williamson He makes $39.5 million this season and can renew his contract this offseason, even though he has another two years and $87 million left on his current deal with the Pelicans.
Here is my proposal:
- Warriors receive: LaMelo Ball
- Hornets host: Zion Williamson, Will Richard, Golden State’s 2028 first-round pick
- Pelicans receive: Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, Brandin Podziemski, pick de primera ronda de 2026 de Golden State
Fanspo
The salary works in all aspects, although it is worth mentioning that Kuminga cannot be transferred until January 15. And, of course, we can argue about draft picks.
Let’s take a quick look at what each team gains from this deal.
Why does it work for the Warriors?
Golden State’s offense falls apart every time Curry is off the court: 106.4 points per 100 possessions, which would put him last in the NBA.
Most transfer ideas that involve the arrival of a big name also include the departure of Butler or Green. By keeping Jonathan Kuminga (the divorce here should have happened a long time ago) out of Butler’s trade with Miami a year ago, Golden State finds another possibility.
Ball, at 7 feet tall, is big enough to play alongside Curry and obviously has the ability to carry the offense without Curry. Yes, sending Kuminga, Podziemski and Moody weakens an already thin rotation. And they are still small (to put it mildly). But putting Curry, Ball, Butler and Green together gives Golden State a fighting chance.
Ball’s critics say he is a lame basketball player, with questionable shot selection, among other bad habits. But his talent is undeniable. Would the Warriors’ pedigree squash those bad habits? It’s a high-risk, high-reward gamble.
He would certainly cost Golden State significant draft capital in the post-Curry era. I’m not sure giving up an unprotected pick for both Charlotte and New Orleans is enough, but that’s probably where the conversation starts.
Why does it work for the Hornets?
The Hornets are a fantastic team to watch play and are really on a roll in their second year under Charles Lee. Kon Knueppel could win the Rookie of the Year award and Brandon Miller continues to show his talent. There is much to highlight.
Hornets fans would say it’s too early to separate the trio of Knueppel, Miller and Ball, and they might be right. In a limited time (231 minutes in 16 games), he has been powerful: 126.1 points per 100 possessions and a net rating of +9.4.
In a market that hasn’t had a big star for a long time, Ball remains one of the NBA’s highest-grossing players among young fans. That’s important, perhaps more so in Charlotte than anywhere else.
Here comes the problem.
Ball’s contract is enormous, especially for a player with no proven ability to lead a team to sustained success. With the emergence of Knueppel and Miller, it is clear that they need to have the ball in their hands. Ball’s undisciplined style of play isn’t exactly conducive to the development of standout guards.
Most, if not all, Hornets fans will oppose any trade that doesn’t include receiving a young prospect in his prime or several valuable draft picks, or better, both.
While Williamson certainly isn’t the surefire prospect he was when he left Duke, he is a local product from across the border in South Carolina who is younger and would fit better alongside the rest of the team. Williamson and the shooters would give Charlotte an identity and a chance to reset.
Rookie Will Richard won a national championship at Florida, fits the culture Lee is trying to instill and looks like a capable shooting guard.
In this scenario, the Hornets also receive an unprotected pick from Golden State for 2028. At some point, the clock will strike midnight in the Bay Area and those future picks will have immense value. They could even ask for one in 2030 or even later.
Why does it work for the Pelicans?
On Friday, Chris Haynes reported that New Orleans informed other teams that it will not trade Zion Williamson, Herb Jones, Trey Murphy, Derik Queen or Jeremiah Fears in the next month. I’m skeptical about that.
It’s another lost season for the Pelicans, who are second to last in the Western Conference. Without a doubt, the most positive thing is the level of Queen and Fears, who seem fundamental pieces.
Let’s remember that the new board traded their 2026 unprotected first-round pick in order to get Queen in the 2025 draft. Although they should rightly be criticized for that careless asset management, at least Queen looks like a possible future All-Star.
It’s been another up-and-down season for Williamson, who has once again been in and out of the starting lineup. When healthy, he is capable of putting up spectacular numbers, but questions remain about his overall reliability.
If the franchise decides it’s time to part with Zion (and the $87 million they still owe him after this season), he remains their best chance to replenish draft capital.
The Pelicans can once again have a 2026 first-round pick thanks to Golden State’s selection. Like Charlotte, they could also opt for later years.
Jonathan Kuminga is only 23 years old. Although it may have missed the boat, it still has untapped potential. They could keep Moody and Podziemski or trade them for additional draft capital, as both have what it takes to play on almost any competitive team.
There’s no doubt that a trade of this magnitude would require all three teams to take a long hard look in the mirror and decide that now is the time to act. And while all three would be at risk, albeit for different reasons, this transfer presents a clearly defined path forward.
