Warriors Notes: Starting Five, Wolves’ Pick, Mannion
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The Warriors suffered their second consecutive loss on Saturday in Utah, dropping to .500 (8-8) on the season. In the wake of that blowout, head coach Steve Kerr left the door open to the possibility of making changes to his struggling starting lineup, writes Anthony Slater of The Athletic.
“It’s going to take us 20 games to figure out where we really want to be with our rotation,” Kerr said. “We’re at 16 now, and I think getting a pretty good look at everything. We just had two bad losses in a row, so we have to assess everything. No doubt.”
Kerr has suggested that Golden State’s starting five – Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins, Kelly Oubre, and James Wiseman – has the highest upside of any of the team’s lineups, but the results haven’t been there so far. That unit has played 161 minutes together, while no other five-man group has played more than 37. In those 161 minutes, the Warriors’ net rating is -20.3.
The team will have a good opportunity to turn things around this week, with home games against the 4-11 Timberwolves on tap for Monday and Wednesday.
Here’s more on the Warriors:
This Heat-Warriors trade features Kelly Oubre Jr., Andre Iguodala
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This is a deal that would be extremely intriguing for both sides. The Golden State Warriors are a team that could use a spark this season for the Miami Heat hope to get back on track for a championship. Both teams would benefit from making a move around the NBA trade deadline.
Golden State has been inconsistent this season since losing Klay Thompson to a torn Achilles. Some growing pains were to be expected but it is time that the team begins to perform well without Steph Curry needing to carry them too much.
The Warriors went through a stretch where it looked like they were coming out of it but inconsistencies have come once again. Steph Curry is back to his normal self this season leading Golden State from three-point range. The team could use some more leadership within the lineup.
This is where the Miami he could come in to play. Jimmy Butler has missed some time this season which has caused the team to get off to a slow start. They are looking to prove that their championship run last season was not a fluke. They can do so by making a deal at the deadline for another weapon. They have been linked to some superstar names but nothing has happened just yet.
This might not be a trade for a superstar, but it would land a productive player in Miami this season. Let’s take a look at what could happen if Golden State and Miami get together for a deal.
NBA Trade Rumors: Kelly Oubre Jr. Deal Discussed Between Warriors, Pelicans
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David Zalubowski/Associated Press
The NBA trade market could be picking up steam again following the blockbuster four-team deal that sent James Harden from the Houston Rockets to the Brooklyn Nets earlier this month, as the Golden State Warriors reportedly looked into a swap.
Per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium, the Warriors and the New Orleans Pelicans have “discussed a potential deal” for Kelly Oubre Jr., though “there isn’t traction as of yet.”
The NBA trade deadline is March 25, but there’s an important date looming next week. According to the new collective bargaining agreement, free agents who signed with a new team can be traded beginning Feb. 6.
According to Charania, teams around the league think the Pelicans will “be prominent in the trade market picture” following their 5-10 start. He went on to note that the team has fielded queries about Lonzo Ball and JJ Redick and have “shown an openness to discussing trades around both.”
Ball, who has averaged 12.0 points and 4.7 assists per game this season, is scheduled to enter restricted free agency this offseason. The 36-year-old Redick has started quietly, with an average of 8.1 points per game.
Through 17 contests, Oubre has averaged 11.6 points on 35.5 percent shooting from the field with 5.5 rebounds. He had a career season with the Suns in 2019-20 as he averaged 18.7 points and 6.4 rebounds in an average of 34.5 minutes per game, all career highs.
Oubre, who began his career in 2015 with the Washington Wizards after the team took him 15th overall out of Kansas, went to Phoenix in a 2018 trade. He was dealt to the Oklahoma City Thunder last November in the package that brought Chris Paul to the Phoenix Suns, and then moved to Golden State days later.
The 25-year-old, who is making nearly $14.4 million this year, will hit free agency this offseason.
If Oubre finds his way to New Orleans, his energy and experience would provide a welcome boost to a Pelicans squad that is still finding its way outside a core of Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson.