Who Could Golden State Pair With Steph Curry?

The 2024 NBA offseason was a bittersweet one for the Golden State Warriors and their fans. For years, the team had been built around the pairing of Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, the latter of which departed in free agency, signing with the Dallas Mavericks.

The duo that was largely responsible for bringing four championship banners to the Bay Area is no more, which left may people assuming that the Warriors were going to try to rebuild. Even if they didn’t expect the Dubs to completely tear the team down for a restart, most analysts and fans alike assumed that the team would take a step back this year.

Even after Friday night’s loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, the only undefeated team in the NBA, the Warriors are sitting at 8-2, one game out first place in the Western Conference. With that in mind, the last few days have brought about speculation that the Warriors may be in the market to add a major name to play alongside Curry.

We’re still months away from the NBA trade deadline, which doesn’t come until February 6, 2025, but there’s nothing stopping Golden State from making a major move. During the Curry era, the Warriors have not shied away from making moves to bolster the roster, so it wouldn’t surprise anyone if they were active this season.

If the Warriors are looking for a way to jump back into the driver’s seat in the West, and in the NBA as a whole, who could they bring in to play alongside Curry? Here’s a look at some names that the team should be calling about if they haven’t already.

Nikola Vucevic: Chicago Bulls

Stop us if you’ve heard this recently, but by all accounts, the Chicago Bulls are two years away from being two years away. No one is sure exactly what the once-mighty Bulls are trying to do at this point.

The construction of the roster usually leaves onlookers with more questions than answers as the team seems to have some players who could be a part of a roster that’s ready to compete while other names look like projects.

The Bulls are not going to win a championship this season or next. In fact, it will be a minor miracle if they trip into the playoffs this season. With that in mind, the team should consider moving on from Nikola Vucevic. The big man can score in the paint, something that the Warriors don’t currently have on the roster.

While its front court is reliable, there’s nothing spectacular about it. The Warriors have some young pieces that Chicago could use for a future rebuild, or the Bulls could simply look to offload some salary. Either way, a trade between these two franchises makes a lot of sense for both parties.

Zach LaVine: Chicago Bulls

It feels like Zach LaVine’s name has been at the center of trade rumors since he arrived in Chicago in 2017. Part of the trade that sent Jimmy Butler to Minnesota, LaVine’s place on the Bulls’ roster has felt a bit out of place during most of his tenure.

While he’s shown some flashes, no one is certain that he can be the top scoring option on any roster, a role that he’s been forced to try to fill in Chicago.

It’s unlikely that both LaVine and Vucevic will be traded to Golden State, but it’s incredibly likely that one of them will. If the Bulls decide they want to hold onto the big man, or they get a better offer elsewhere, the Warriors may have some interest in LaVine who would be much better suited to play second fiddle to Curry than to be the top offensive option.

Jimmy Butler: Miami Heat

If you look at the best NBA franchises over the last 10-20 years, it’s hard to deny that the Warriors and the Heat are consistently at or near the top of the league.

Both franchises have put themselves in position into succeed, though their methods have varied. Golden State has found opportunities to make the roster better for the immediate future while Miami seems to always be a step ahead.

That’s why a trade that would send Jimmy Butler to the Bay Area makes so much sense. Butler is in the last year of his deal with Miami, though he has a player option for next season.

Meanwhile, the Warriors recently benched Jonathan Kuminga, a player who has loads of potential but doesn’t seem to fit what Golden State needs right now. This trade would allow both franchises to do what they do best. Golden State would position itself to have a great offense right now while Miami would add a piece it could build around in the future.

Jerami Grant: Portland Trail Blazers

Admittedly, Jerami Grant isn’t as flashy of a name as some others on this list, but there’s little doubt that Golden State could be interested in adding him to the mix, especially if the team looks for a player to bolster the front court.

While getting a traditional two-guard could be a great way to take the next step, Grant, who was part of the 2020 Men’s Basketball Team in the Tokyo Olympics may be a more affordable addition if the Warriors want to hold on to some assets.

Grant has been moved around pretty often in the past. In fact, the Blazers are the fifth team he’s played for since entering the league in 2014.

While his career average of 13 points per game may not seem like an enticing number, it’s worth noting that he’s averaging approximately 21 points per game in his last four seasons. The Blazers aren’t poised to make a run this season, so if they decide to make some moves, it’s safe to assume that the 30-year-old Grant would be one of the names they may look to move.

Giannis Antetokounmpo: Milwaukee Bucks

This is going to be something that gets talked about until it doesn’t happen. The Warriors have never been afraid to reach out to teams about some of the biggest names in the league. Last season, the team reportedly engaged the Lakers in trade talks about LeBron James.

While the Lakers were never expected to actually make that move, the fact that the Warriors even tried to make it happen is telling.

The Bucks probably won’t trade Giannis this season. He’s not only the most beloved pro athlete in the city, but he’s easily one of the three or four best players in the league. Trading him away would be the Bucks’ way of waving the white flag and entering a multi-year rebuild when there’s no reason to assume that they need to take such an extreme step.

This trade would also completely gut the Warriors roster and empty the franchise’s draft capital. Does this trade happen? Probably not. Will the Warriors make a phone call to the Bucks about Giannis? More than likely.

Brandon Ingram: New Orleans Pelicans

Another name that has been coming up in trade rumors for quite some time is Brandon Ingram, who at only 27 years old, is widely considered one of the best veteran options on the trade market. Much like some of the other teams we’ve discussed, the Pelicans are not ready to compete for a title, much less in the crowded Western Conference.

Last season, it was reported that as many as 12 teams had called the team to ask about Ingram before he was eventually pulled off the market by the Pelicans.

Ingram was once the second overall pick in the draft. The Lakers grabbed him at two in the 2016 draft before shipping him to New Orleans in 2019 as part of the Anthony Davis trade. Since he arrived in New Orleans, Ingram has been one of the only consistent contributors on a roster that has seen continued turnover, coaching changes, and injury problems.

Ingram is averaging 24.1 points per game on the young season to go along with 6.1 rebounds per game, a career best. He’s an unrestricted free agent after this season, so if he wants to make a move to chase a ring, working with the Pelicans to facilitate a sign-and-trade seems to be a great path for him.

Of all the names that we’ve discussed today, Ingram probably makes the most sense for the Warriors if they want to bolster the roster immediately.

Will the Warriors Make a Trade?

It’s rare to see NBA teams make major moves early in the season, so while it’s fun to speculate about what the Warriors may or may not do, you probably shouldn’t expect them to do anything until they’re sure that this hot start turns into a good season.

We’re nearly three months from the trade deadline, so some teams are going to be hesitant to move on from their best players, but the Warriors are always a team to watch on the trade market.