Report: Warriors Believe They Remain ‘Well-Positioned’ For Trade Upgrade

According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Golden State Warriors believe they remain “well-positioned” for a trade upgrade. 

The Warriors tried to acquire Paul George from the Los Angeles Clippers and Lauri Markkanen from the Utah Jazz this offseason. 

Golden State lost Klay Thompson to the Dallas Mavericks and signed Kyle Anderson, Buddy Hield and De’Anthony Melton in free agency. 

“Golden State is plotting its next moves in the wake of unsuccessful trade pursuits of Paul George and Lauri Markkanen in the offseason,” Stein wrote. “Team officials believe they remain well-positioned for a trade upgrade at some point in the next year or so after responding to the free agent departure of Curry’s longtime backcourt mate Klay Thompson by acquiring Kyle Anderson, Buddy Hield and De’Anthony Melton on short-term deals and retaining all of their draft picks. The distinct sense at Chase Center is that the Clippers and Jazz, despite no shortage of conversation with both teams, did not really want to do business with the Warriors.”

The Warriors missed the playoffs in 2024. They lost the 9-10 play-in game to the Sacramento Kings. 

Golden State can sign Stephen Curry to a one-year, $62.6 million extension this offseason. Curry, the best shooter in NBA history, signed a four-year, $215 million extension with the Warriors in August 2021. He’ll make $55.8 million next season and $59.6 million in 2025-26. 

During a conversation with NBA reporter Marc J. Spears of Andscape, Curry spoke about his future with the Warriors. 

“I’ve always said I want to be a Warrior for life,” Curry said. “At this stage in my career, I feel like that’s possible. And you can still be a competitive, it doesn’t mean you guaranteed the championship. It doesn’t mean winning. Winning is always a priority, but obviously you’re realistic. It doesn’t mean that it’s going to happen if you stay the course. You need to shake things up and keep reimagining what it looks like to evolve with what league is at right now, with where some of these talented teams are now.

“I’m taking it one step at a time to be honest. I think that’s the only way that will protect my happiness. Also, it allows me to enjoy being myself when I’m out there playing. And I’ll continue to make the decisions that are best for me and for my career at the end of the day when it comes to just the imagination. I want to win. Let’s put it this way, it’s a longwinded way of saying that it if it is a situation where you’re a bottom feeder and it’s just because you want to stay there, I’d have a hard time with that. But I don’t think that’s going to be the reality.”