The Golden State Warriors are a game below .500 and a game out of the West's final Play-In spot. It has been tough sledding of late for Steve Kerr's squad, naturally raising questions about the direction of the franchise.
It's hard to endorse a "rebuild" when Stephen Curry and Draymond Green are on your team. Curry remains one of the NBA's very best offensive talents. Draymond, for all his shortcomings, is an all-world defender and a longtime winner. That duo embodies what it means to contend in the modern era. The idea of Golden State amicably bleeding into the lottery baffles the mind.
On the other hand, Curry and Green alone clearly don't guarantee much in a robustly competitive conference. The Dubs' young core, however, also doesn't hold much promise. Jonathan Kuminga is sputtering in the final year of his rookie contract, Moses Moody has not lived up to lottery expectations, and Brandin Podziemski's sophomore slump continues to enervate a tired fanbase.
Curry has said the Warriors shouldn't mortgage the future for a "desperate" trade, but what exactly is Golden State building toward? There isn't a strong foundation in place for when Curry retires. Keeping flexibility for when Curry and Green do hang 'em up is an understandable approach, but admitting defeat in Curry's waning years, when he's still this good, feels like quitter's talk.
That leads us to the 2025 NBA trade deadline. Should Golden State push all its chips in or angle for long-term sustainability?
Well... why not both?
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Warriors dream trade target: Golden State should dial up Jazz to ask about Walker Kessler
Golden State has shied away from the blockbuster targets, such as Jimmy Butler or Zach LaVine. Instead, the Warriors are in the market for more modest frontcourt upgrades, with Nikola Vucevic and Myles Turner standing out among the potential options.
That said, Vucevic is another aging vet in the twilight of his career, while Turner is in the final year of his contract with a potential $100 million-plus payday on the horizon. If the Warriors want to avoid financial strain and long-term inflexibility, Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler profiles as a much more ideal target.
Kessler has been popping up in trade rumors since the summer, for reasons that are difficult to wrap one's mind around. The Jazz are obviously in a full-blown rebuild, so nobody is untouchable. That said, Kessler is 23 years old with the metrics of a future DPOY candidate. He should be foundational to the rebuild, not expendable because of it.
Everybody has a price, though, and Utah could part with Kessler for a couple solid first-round pick as Danny Ainge refills his bountiful NBA Draft stores. Golden State can probably get more production in the short-term for lesser assets with Vucevic or even Turner, but Kessler is under contract through next season at a dirt-cheap price, and Golden State would have restricted free agency rights beyond that.
All of a sudden, Kessler becomes quite possibly the most valuable "young" asset on the Warriors roster. He's enjoying a bounce-back third season after some sophomore stumbles, averaging 11.3 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 2.4 blocks on 73.3 percent shooting — the NBA's highest mark.
Kessler doesn't space the floor or create his own offense, but he's extremely impactful on the margins. He can inhale rebounds on both ends, leading to second-chance points or nipping opposing possessions in the bud. He sets wide screens, deploys a vast catch radius around the basket, and finishes strong in the paint. Curry hasn't had a truly elite lob threat in a while. Kessler fits the bill.
There are understandable spacing concerns with Draymond and Kessler, but Golden State gets by just fine with other non-shooting bigs. Kessler is a better interior finisher than anybody on the Dubs roster, and frankly, we should probably limit Green's influence over the Warriors' decision-making moving forward. He is far less essential than Steph, and infinitely more annoying to have in the building. There's a world in which Golden State actually gives Draymond the boot before his contract runs out.
Kessler gives Golden State its long-term defensive anchor and a great complementary piece for Steph or the next generation of stars in the Bay Area.
Is it likely? Probably not. There's a reason Kessler has remained in Utah despite all the trade rumblings, as he is an extremely valuable asset. If the Warriors come with an offer Ainge can't refuse, however, the Jazz are likely at least willing to listen.