3 things that should be on Warriors Holiday Wish List this season

After getting off to a sizzling start to the 2024-25 NBA season, winning 12 of their first 15 games, the Golden State Warriors have cooled considerably over the last few weeks, dropping eight of their last 10, a stretch that included a five-game losing streak.

Shots that were falling in the early weeks of the season simply aren't falling nearly as often lately, as evidenced by the fact that the Dubs have failed to surpass the 100-point mark in three of their last five games.

And some who were helping carry the scoring load alongside Steph Curry have just fallen off in recent weeks.

Take Buddy Hield, for instance.

After averaging 16.2 points and hitting the 20-point mark six times in Golden State's first 15 games, the veteran guard has offered up just 11.4 points in the last 10 games and has hit the 20-point mark just once, that being his 27-point effort against the Minnesota Timberwolves on December 8. Take that game out of the equation, and Hield has averaged just 9.7 points per game in the other nine.

And that's just one example.

Don't get things twisted. Curry, who has had some struggles of his own at times, has had help as Andrew Wiggins and Jonathan Kuminga have stepped up with some big performances. From an overall standpoint, though, this team has been off.

The acquisition of Dennis Schroder should help, and that was a strong early holiday gift for the Warriors. But Steve Kerr still needs more, whether that's making more trades or getting much more out of those already on his roster.

With that in mind, here are a few things the Warriors should have on their holiday wish list.

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A better big man in the middle, perhaps Jakob Poeltl

The Warriors have never necessarily needed a ton of size and scoring out of the center position to win, as their offense is clearly designed around the three-point shot.

That said, however, the Western Conference is loaded with solid seven-foot centers who can score, and Golden State simply doesn't have one.

The rotation at the center position currently consists of Kevon Looney and Trayce Jackson-Davis, with Draymond Green occasionally stepping away from his natural position at power forward to fill in.

Both Looney and Jackson-Davis are just 6-foot-9, while Green stands only 6-foot-6. There's simply no size to this team, and it's starting to hinder things a bit on both ends of the floor.

Defensively, it's often difficult for this trio to match up with opposing bigs. And offensively, there's no scoring threat whatsoever, and teams are essentially just letting these guys roam down there in order to double Curry and the other shooters on the perimeter.

It might cost the Warriors a little too much to get him, but a guy like Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl could fill this void, as the seven-foot veteran is averaging career-highs in both points (15.9) and rebounds (11.3) and is also putting up 1.3 blocks and 1.1 steals per game.

His presence in the middle would keep defenses a bit more honest, thus opening up the perimeter. He's also a solid passer, which always fits this team. If the front office can make this happen, this is a move the Warriors should make.

A better version of Brandin Podziemski or someone to replace him

If the reports that the Warriors were refusing to include Brandin Podziemski in any of the high-profile trades to which they were linked this past offseason are true, they have to be kicking themselves at this point.

Podziemski had a solid enough rookie campaign a season ago, averaging 9.2 points while shooting 45.4 percent from the floor and a respectable 38.5 percent from beyond the arc, adding 5.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game.

But his numbers have fallen across the board to open this season, as the 21-year-old is averaging 7.7 points while shooting just 37.6 percent from the field and dismal 25.0 percent from distance, adding 4.6 rebounds and 3.4 assists.

Podziemski played just 16 minutes in the Warriors' 143-133 loss to the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday night, and one has to think his minutes will decline further once Schroder enters the rotation.

Nevertheless, he still has to produce when he's on the floor, and he's just not bringing much to the table right now. If Podziemski can pick things up, that's obviously great. But if he can't, the Warriors need to bite the bullet, admit they were wrong, and ship him out of town before his trade value dips any further.

A mid-tier wing player who's not Jimmy Butler

While everyone is talking about how the Warriors could add Jimmy Butler ahead of the trade deadline, I honestly don't think it'd be a wise move, as they'd likely have to give up too much.

When you really sit and think about it, it could legit take both Wiggins and Kuminga for the Miami Heat to consider a trade. Why would it make sense for Golden State to give up two of its biggest contributors for a 35-year-old player with an inflated salary and a history of injuries? Spoiler alert: It doesn't.

Instead, the Warriors should be targeting a mid-tier wing player who's still a threat to score but wouldn't cost them nearly as much, players such as Kyle Kuzma and Jerami Grant. Perhaps even making another deal with the Brooklyn Nets for Cam Johnson could work.

Yes, it's fun to think of another superstar alongside Curry, and there's no doubt that the Warriors will continue to search for one. Hell, they may even try to go after Paul George again.

But just as it goes with holiday shopping, the most expensive toy doesn't necessarily mean it's the best option for your kids. And a high-profile player may not be the best option for the Warriors at this point.