Golden State has an elite creator in Stephen Curry, and the offense squirts without Draymond Green as a secondary creator, but that’s where it ends. With no Klay Thompson – or Kevin Durant, or Shaun Livingston, or Andre Iguodala, or even D’Angelo Russell – the Warriors need another creator in the perimeter by the end of the season and the playoffs.
What about Victor Oladipo?
The Warriors are interested in an Oladipo deal, reports Kevin O’Conner at The Ringer. Compiling an agreement, however, seems to be a long shot.
League sources say the Warriors are interested in acquiring Rockets guard Victor Oladipo …
Houston cannot claim too much in a deal because Oladipo has been undermined and will become an unrestricted free agent. On top of that, Golden State would not offer much. Because of the choice owed elsewhere, the Warriors can only handle two choices in the first round: one from 2021 (via Minnesota) or 2022 and one from 2026 or 2027.
Houston is going to ask for the Minnesota pick – the top three protected in this draft, unprotected next year – or a young player with potential like James Wiseman. The Warriors will shoot down these ideas, at least when it comes to an Oladipo deal, Connor Letourneau reports in the San Francisco Chronicle.
However, just because Golden State likes a multiple All-Star that matches a win-now attitude, does not mean that she is willing to pledge her future to perhaps win a post-season series. .
But according to a team source, the Warriors “almost certainly” will not surrender the choice of Timberwolves or Wiseman unless they get back someone from a generation like Joel Embiid or Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Oladipo is not such a player. He did not find his All-NBA form after his torn quadriceps tendon, and he recently missed a handful of games with a foot injury (the last in a series of injuries). Oladipo scored 20 points per game, but shot just under 40% and 33.1% against three. On top of that, the Warriors would have to match $ 21 million in salary – all for rent. Oladipo is a free agent after this season, and the buzz around the league was that he wants to move to Miami.
Never say never, but it’s hard to see this agreement coming together. It sounds more like something someone would leak if they tried to increase the price on Oladipo for another team – possibly the Knicks.