"How Do The Warriors Balance The Now And The Future?": Latest Scoop On Warriors' Trade Targets

More than many other teams in the NBA, the Golden State Warriors are on the clock as the February 5 trade deadline approaches. The Warriors have both short-term needs (adding a piece or two to improve their playoff chances this season) and long-term aspirations (securing assets that can provide help beyond the Steph Curry era) that need to be addressed in this trade season.

As per an update from Warriors reporter Dalton Johnson, Golden State’s present situation might be best served if they are willing to sacrifice their future (or, at least, a chunk of it). After the Dubs knocked off the Milwaukee Bucks 120⁠–⁠113 on Wednesday, Johnson shared that the Warriors might be looking to do business with either the New Orleans Pelicans or the Brooklyn Nets.

“Those are two teams that have assets that the Warriors certainly have their eyes on,” Johnson said. “Someone like a Trey Murphy or a Michael Porter Jr.”

Either Murphy or Porter would help the Warriors’ cause as they seek an outright playoff spot in the coming months. In his fifth season with the New Orleans Pelicans, Murphy has emerged as a solid 3-and-D option, putting up 21.3 points, 6.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.5 steals on a nightly basis. Meanwhile, after spending six seasons in the shadow of Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray in Denver, Porter is averaging a career-high 26.1 points per game in his first year with the Brooklyn Nets.

However, getting either one of these players will come at a cost for the Warriors. “One source has speculated to me that Trey Murphy can be [worth] three first-round picks, plus Jonathan Kuminga, plus players,” Johnson reported. “Then Michael Porter Jr. can be two first-round picks plus Kuminga’s salary.”

Johnson went on to encapsulate Golden State’s dilemma with one statement: “How do the Warriors balance the now versus the future? ”

No transaction in the NBA is ever 100% straightforward, as each option on the table comes with pros and cons. Getting Murphy or Porter would certainly raise the Warriors’ playoff ceiling this season, but there are no guarantees about their longevity in the Bay Area. Still, in this proverbial game of chess, the Warriors' front office has to make a move and stand on it before time expires.