Dub Hub: Will the Lakers’ trade for Rui Hachimura entice the Warriors to make a move?
Rounding up all the Warriors and NBA news from around the web.
Good Morning Dub Nation,
The big news coming out of yesterday was the trade between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Washington Wizards. The Lakers traded Kendrick Nunn and three second-round picks for the Wizards’ former ninth-overall pick of the 2019 NBA Draft, Rui Hachimura. Although the deal itself is minor, it helps set a reasonable market for teams that are considering a move before the NBA Trade Deadline on Feb. 9 — a list which could potentially include the Golden State Warriors.
Also of note: This trade helps set the market to a more realistic place. A top-10 pick at wing going for not even a first should help get asking prices to something more sensible than it's been.
— Anthony F. Irwin (@AnthonyIrwinLA) January 23, 2023
Many are hoping for the Warriors to make a move that would, at the very least, inject new energy into a team that has hovered around .500 throughout the season. The right deal could help propel Golden State up the standings, but as of now, the team has yet to show any interest in making a deadline move.
Golden State is currently 10th in the middling Western Conference standings. While the difference between the Warriors and the fourth-seeded New Orleans Pelicans is only three games, they could easily be eliminated from the playoffs altogether as they are tied with the Oklahoma City Thunder at 23-24 and lead both the Lakers and the Portland Trail Blazers by just one game.
As far as draft assets go, the Warriors have their own 2023 first-round pick, as well as first and second round picks in 2025 and beyond, according to Fanspo.com. A player like Hachimura has his flaws, but second round picks and a minor rotation player is a small price to pay to take a swing at someone with upside — something the Warriors should consider if the opportunity presents itself.
Here are the rest of today’s stories:
In case you missed it from Golden State of Mind:
- Steve Kerr believes the team is currently ‘not good enough’ to close games
- How the Warriors lost the plot against the Nets
- Kyrie torches Warriors again as Nets eke out 120-116 win
- How Steve Kerr used the Cavs’ fear of Jordan Poole to put them away
- Player grades: Warriors vs. Cavs
Other Warriors News:
- Why are the Warriors consistently unable to close out games? (San Francisco Chronicle)
- Warriors losing identity invites possible disturbing season-spoiling tendency (NBC Sports Bay Area)
- Why Jonathan Kuminga focused on being Warriors’ positionless force (NBC Sports Bay Area)
- NBA Style Rankings: Presidential Steph Curry, chic Nikola Jokić and more (The Athletic)
- Golden State’s Request To Move Tip-Off Was Denied By NBA (Outkick)
NBA News:
- How Rui Hachimura Fits With The Lakers (UPROXX)
- Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton return and the Bucks look like themselves again (The Athletic)
- After 902 days, Jonathan Isaac made his return for Magic relying on faith and perseverance (The Athletic)
- Nets ‘monitoring’ Serge Ibaka situation but is it for a trade ... or as a buyout candidate? (SB Nation)
- How NBA Teams Are Bringing The Post-Up Back To Life (FiveThirtyEight)
