1 week Ago By Jonah Kubicek
At 10-3, the Golden State Warriors are the best team in the Western Conference, but they have plenty of room to improve. Their lack of size is a concern, as is a slow start from Brandin Podziemski. On top of that, offseason addition De’Anthony Melton has only played in six games and suffered an ACL sprain.
There is currently no timeline for his return. With a sense of caution swelling in The Bay, the Warriors could swing a trade for an established player to bolster their roster. Amid the Los Angeles Clippers’ 8-7 start is 31-year-old Norman Powell, who is averaging a career-high 23.
3 points and is shooting 48.7% from 3-point range. While the Clippers are enjoying an unexpected winning record without Kawhi Leonard, there is virtually no chance that they would be able to escape the first round of the playoffs, if they were to even make it that far.
With only two first-round draft picks to their name, the Clippers need to add either young talent or draft picks, and the Warriors could offer the former for Powell. Steve Kerr has implemented a 12-man rotation this season to great success, but Podziemski’s slow start cannot be ignored. As the Warriors search for an upgrade on the perimeter to complement Stephen Curry and Buddy Hield, Powell is an obvious target.
Golden State could send Melton’s expiring contract and Johnathan Kuminga, who is poised to enter restricted free agency, to the Clippers for Powell, who has two seasons left on his deal. That would give the Warriors a starting five of Curry, Powell, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green and Trayce Jackson-Davis, with Podziemski, Hield, Kyle Anderson, Kevon Looney and Moses Moody playing large bench roles. If the Warriors get a sense that Kuminga does not want to remain in Golden State, flipping him for a red-hot win-now player must be a priority.
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