Warriors Score Big with Valančiūnas in Blockbuster $15 Million Trade Deal!
The Golden State Warriors recently lost guard De’Anthony Melton for the rest of the season with an ACL injury. Melton only appeared in six games for Golden State before being shut down for the season. He signed a one-year, $12.8 million deal with the Dubs in an effort to help replace Klay Thompson’s production, but now his Warriors’ tenure has likely reached its end.
Melton can be traded before the February 6 NBA trade deadline, and a rebuilding team would almost certainly take on his expiring contract in exchange for a draft pick or two. Between Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Buddy Hield, Moses Moody, and Gary Payton II, the Warriors are covered on the guard front. What they could really use is some size.
The Warriors do not have a player taller than 6-9 on their everyday roster, but they still rank second in the NBA in rebounds. They are also in the top five in both 3-point percentage and attempts, so adding shooting isn’t a priority, either. Nonetheless, they have been linked to two very different centers on the trade market.
Kelly Olynyk is a floor-spacing, ball-handling big who has never excelled at rebounding. Valančiūnas, on the other hand, is not a shooting threat but is much more dangerous in the paint. So which one should the Warriors prioritize?
Ideally, both the Toronto Raptors and Washington Wizards would take Melton’s expiring contract and a first-round pick for their center. Both teams are rebuilding and don’t have a need for a veteran, but if the Warriors could pick, there is a clear answer as to who they should target.
Golden State is 10th in the NBA in points in the paint, and Valančiūnas offers more interior pressure. Whoever they trade for will likely start a handful of games, especially in the postseason, and the more reliable and durable Valančiūnas is a very clear upgrade to the frontcourt and is better for the Warriors than Olynyk. That said, if Valančiūnas is suddenly no longer available, the Warriors should still see if Masai Ujiri is willing to play ball.