3 trades Warriors can make instead of paying Jonathan Kuminga the max

The Golden State Warriors have put together a productive offseason, effectively replacing Klay Thompson and Chris Paul with the collective of Buddy Hield, De'Anthony Melton, and Kyle Anderson. Upgrades all around. With improved depth and less baggage weighing the Warriors down, perhaps we can see Stephen Curry mount another postseason run. That is the goal in Golden State, at the very least.

For the last couple months, the Warriors were heavily tied to Utah Jazz All-Star Lauri Markkanen as a potential trade target. Ultimately, the offers were never serious enough to get Danny Ainge to budge. Markkanen inked a five-year extension and won't be trade-eligible until next summer, taking a piece off the board for Dubs GM Mike Dunleavy Jr.

There are still trade options out there, though. Golden State's well-documented reluctance to part with either Brandin Podziemski or Jonathan Kuminga was at the heart of the Markkanen whiff. The Warriors aren't going to add a legitimate needle-mover without giving up quality young talent. Just draft picks won't cut it for most genuine stars.

The Podziemski stance appears final — he's in Golden State for a while — but Kuminga's future is not quite as crystalline. He's due for a rookie-scale extension soon and he is expected to demand the max, five years and $224 million, according to Yahoo's Jake Fischer.

That is... a lot. There's a key difference between asking for the max and getting the max, but Kuminga will get uncomfortably expensive very fast. He has shown major signs of growth in Golden State, but there are credible reasons for reticence.

If the Warriors decide that Kuminga's future is not worth the price of admission, he is a coveted trade asset who could help Golden State return the difference-maker it so clearly desires.

Here are a few logical exchanges.

3. Warriors trade for Nets big man Nic Claxton

While Golden State is surely optimistic about the future of Trayce Jackson-Davis, it's unclear whether or not he's ready for the burden of starting full-time on a contender. There is no such doubt with Nic Claxton, who inked a new four-year, $97 million contract this offseason with the Brooklyn Nets. That is solid value for the Nets, but Brooklyn plans to spend the next few years toiling at the bottom of the standings.

That means Claxton is a prime trade deadline candidate. He can't be moved until midseason, but that shouldn't bother the Warriors. Claxton would meaningfully address Golden State's lack of rim protection while removing a sizable defensive burden from Draymond Green's shoulders. Claxton is comfortable switching 1-through-5 and guarding in space, so he's ideal for the Dubs' modern scheme.

The offensive fit isn't quite as clean — Clax and Draymond muddy up the paint a lot — but Claxton is sure to find his way to plenty of easy lob finishes working out of two-man actions with Curry and Podziemski. He's light on his feet, a solid passer for his position, and comfortable working out of multiple areas on the floor. Claxton won't self-create a ton, but he can put the rock on the floor and attack facing up from the elbow. He reads double teams, elegantly navigates traffic, and uses his springboard athleticism to finish everything within arm's reach of the basket.

Claxton doesn't shoot a lick and his 55.1 percent free throw clip is a red flag. Golden State would need to plan accordingly, as Claxton becomes a liability in certain late-game situations. When regarding the totality of his contributions, however — especially on the defensive end — Claxton is a great value add for Golden State. That is especially true if Brooklyn takes on the Andrew Wiggins contract, too.

2. Warriors trade for Cavaliers big man Jarrett Allen

Same general concept here. The Warriors spring for an elite rim protector and lob threat in Jarrett Allen (preferable to Claxton, if all things are equal), while the Cleveland Cavaliers boost their wing depth and remove a persistent fit concern from the equation.

Allen, too, is ineligible to be traded until the days leading up to the trade deadline. He recently inked a new three-year, $91 million contract with Cleveland, but it was engineered to promote optionality around the deadline. The Cavs' compressed frontcourt spacing with Allen and Evan Mobley has been an issue. Of Cleveland's so-called 'Core Four,' Allen feels the most expendable. His contract is certainly the easiest to move.

The Warriors have never put an elite rim protector next to Draymond Green. Offensive concerns be damned — Golden State would generate a ton of shots. Allen and his 7-foot-6 wingspan creates quite the deterent in the lane. Green, meanwhile, is the sharpest help defender in the NBA. He's always in the right spot, barking orders like a quarterback and roaming for steals like a thief in the night. Allen would meaningfully raise the Warriors' floor on that end.

As for the offense, Allen provides plenty of value as a screen-setter and finisher. He has among the widest catch radiuses in the league, presenting a wide target for Golden State's guards. The screens are physical despite his thin frame and Allen cuts hard to the basket, operating with an appreciable directness. His processing speed has improved of late (2.7 assists per game last season) and he's liable to feast on offensive rebounds.

From Cleveland's perspective, this balances the roster a bit. Wing depth has been an issue for the Cavs. Wiggins, while not at peak value, is a useful 3-and-D piece. He needs a change of scenery and what more poetic destination than Cleveland after all these years? Kuminga, meanwhile, is a real building block to develop alongside Evan Mobley is a reshaped frontcourt.

1. Warriors trade for Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball

This is a purely hypothetical concept that has picked up steam lately. There's no reason to believe the Charlotte Hornets are itching to trade LaMelo Ball, but one could see how they would arrive at that point. Another disappointing season marred by injuries and inadequacies might tip Charlotte toward a hard reset centered on Brandon Miller. If that comes to pass, and LaMelo is made available, Golden State could right a past wrong.

The decision to pass on LaMelo in favor of James Wiseman with the No. 2 pick in 2017 still haunts the Warriors. That was among the more egregious draft fumbles in recent memory. At the time, yours truly ranked Ball as the top prospect. Others have surpassed him in the years since, but in terms of pure talent and basketball IQ, few 22-year-olds can touch the youngest Ball brother.

The fit in Golden State is absolutely fascinating to ponder. Ball is a rapid-fire processor who thrives when bombing deep 3s and connecting dots through visionary passes. He pushes the tempo, encourages ball movement, and seldom over-dribbles without a purpose. That sounds tailor-made for the Dubs' offense.

Ball isn't a great finisher at the rim and defense has been an issue in the past, but he'd be going to a far more rigorous winning environment in Golden State. That could convince him to alter his mindset a bit. At 6-foot-7, Ball has all the physical tools and instincts necessary to defend at a high level. Maybe the Warriors can finally bring it out of him.

Ball's playmaking adds a new dynamic to the Warriors offense and gives Golden State a proper building block once Curry decides to hang 'em up.

As for Charlotte, two young wings in Kuminga and Moses Moody, as well as plenty of draft capital, should be enough to at least start the conversation. Wiggins isn't necessarily a positive asset, but his defense and championship experience could come in handy for a young team that's learning how to compete under a new head coach.