When it rains, it pours for the Golden State Warriors. What was an advanced season already simply became an absolute nightmare.
Jimmy Butler suffered a season-ending ACL damage within the win over his former workforce, the Miami Heat, leaving Steve Kerr’s squad much more disadvantaged of expertise.
The Warriors are 25-19 and in eighth place within the Western Convention. And, with Butler’s damage and the Feb. 5 commerce deadline looming, common supervisor Mike Dunleavy Jr. now has to make a transfer.
The Warriors must commerce for Michael Porter Jr.
Butler was the Warriors’ second-leading scorer. Now, they may don’t have any selection however to satisfy the Brooklyn Nets‘ asking value for Michael Porter Jr.
Porter Jr. has reportedly been at the top of the Warriors’ wish list for a lot of the season, however they do not need to surrender first-round picks in any commerce.
That is smart to a level, on condition that they will not be as aggressive within the post-Stephen Curry period. Then once more, Curry continues to be on the peak of his powers, and never making a transfer might be doing him a disservice.
Per Basketball Reference, Porter Jr. is averaging 25.7 factors, 7.4 rebounds and three.2 assists on 48.5/39.8/84.5 taking pictures splits. He is an elite three-level scorer with championship expertise.
Butler is 36 years previous, and he can’t be trusted to be the identical participant as soon as he returns subsequent season. Transferring his expiring deal for participant on a foul contract also needs to be on the Warriors’ thoughts.
The Warriors might additionally give Jonathan Kuminga one final probability to show his price within the Bay Space. Then once more, he is been vocal about his want to depart, and with Kerr conserving him on a brief leash, that does not appear doubtless.
Regardless of the case, the entrance workplace desperately must make some strikes. Even when they threat the long run to save lots of the current, that is the kind of resolution you make when you have got one of many biggest gamers of all time on the lookout for one other ring.
