One NBA analyst proposed a three-team trade idea between the Golden State Warriors, Portland Trail Blazers and Charlotte Hornets.
Dan Favale of Bleacher Report proposed the following mock trade:
Charlotte Hornets Receive: Kevon Looney, Atlanta’s 2026 second-round pick (via Golden State)
Golden State Warriors Receive: Robert Williams III, own 2028 second-round pick (via Portland), Rayan Rupert
Portland Trail Blazers Receive: Reggie Jackson, Moses Moody
The Hornets, Warriors and Blazers missed the playoffs in 2024.
“The Warriors could use a center with a truer big-man profile than Draymond Green or Trayce Jackson-Davis,” Favale wrote in his NBA trade proposal. “RW3 isn’t conventionally huge (6’9”), but at his best, he’s a game-changing screener, diver, short-roll passer and defender—regardless of the matchup.
“Betting on his health isn’t a modest risk. He missed most of last season with a right knee injury and has appeared in just 41 games over the past two years. Still, the potential payoff is worth the nondescript financial investment. RW3 is on the books through 2025-26…for a total of just $25.7 million.
“Surrendering Looney is no longer much of a concession on the Warriors’ part. Including Moody for an injury-prone big is tougher to reconcile. But inconsistent usage coupled with his entering a contract year makes it easier to stomach his exit. Golden State is also getting back control of its own second-rounder in 2028 while grabbing a flier on Rayan Rupert, a three-and-D-type prospect with whom I’m absolutely smitten, and who’s under team control for another two years at $4.1 million total.
“Portland is dealing RW3 at the nadir of his value here and could just hold onto him in an attempt to rehab his curb appeal. But Moody is a higher-end three-and-D prospect than Rupert, and his next deal shouldn’t scare the Blazers when he doesn’t have the track record to command a ton of leverage or money. General manager Joe Cronin also hasn’t helped RW3’s market by adding Donovan Clingan to a center rotation that already features Deandre Ayton and the (eminently serviceable) Duop Reath.
“Charlotte isn’t needed to complete this deal. But it has room for a reserve center to inject into the Mark Williams–Nick Richards rotation and is netting a second-round pick for taking on an additional $2.7 million.
“Rerouting Looney is meant to be part of the draw for Portland. It increases the team’s cushion beneath the luxury tax and avoids replacing one big with another.
“Reggie Jackson instantly becomes a buyout candidate, but the Blazers can hang onto him as a matching salary in subsequent moves. They might even consider using him to sponge up second-string point guard reps, since Dalano Banton, Anfernee Simons and, to a lesser extent, Deni Avdija are their only backup floor-general options at the moment.”
Williams III only appeared in six games for the Blazers this past season due to a knee injury. He averaged 6.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.2 blocks. Williams III will make $12,428,571 next season.
Jackson played for the Denver Nuggets this past season. He averaged 10.2 points, 1.9 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 0.5 steals and 0.2 blocks. The NBA champion will make $5,250,000 next season.
Moody averaged 8.1 points, 3.0 rebounds, 0.9 assists, 0.6 steals and 0.4 blocks for the Warriors in 2023-24. The NBA champion will make $5,803,269 next season.
Finally, Looney averaged 4.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 0.4 steals and 0.4 blocks for the Warriors in 2023-24. The three-time NBA champion will make $8,000,000 next season.
Looking for the latest NBA Insider News & Rumors?
Be sure to follow Hoops Wire on TWITTER and FACEBOOK for breaking NBA News and Rumors for all 30 teams!
