Player from Pacific Division OKC Thunder should target at NBA trade deadline

Golden State Warriors:

Although the writing was on the wall entering the season the crew in San Francisco changed from writing in pencils to pens and ink once Stephen Curry broke his hand.

It was presumed the Warriors couldn’t afford to not compete given the opening of the new Chase Center. But five consecutive NBA Finals appearances made the pill easier to swallow.

Although Klay Thompson and Curry are out injured the truth is the rest their minds are getting is equally beneficial. The ongoing emotional toll of competing every season as the favorite is a hardship. Sure, most teams and players would swap places in a second but (and I hate to admit this) it will pay immediate dividends next season for the Dubs.

In the interim, don’t be fooled by Steve Kerr wringing his hands over close losses or discussion on when Stephen Curry will return. The Warriors will keep Curry off the court as long as possible because here’s the one major truth about this squad — the Warriors are tanking to win the top draft pick!

Stop for a second and consider what that means. Next season a refreshed (mentally and physically) Curry, Thompson and Draymond Green will return to the mix with in likelihood a top-ranked rookie.

This season is all about gauging the young fill-ins and how they would meld with the returning stars. The Warriors will be sellers at the deadline especially if draft picks are involved. The key will be whether the Wolves can pull together enough of a package (possibly with a third team involved) that would jettison draft picks and possibly Robert Covington to fill Andre Iguodala‘s old role.

There are some youngsters on the Dubs who are intriguing for deep bench roles but no one Sam Presti needs to worry about snagging at the deadline.