"They tried to trade for LeBron James" - NBA insider speculates Warriors plotting blockbuster trade for high potential assets
Coming out of the gates to a 7-1 start, the Golden State Warriors find themselves tied for the best record in the Western Conference. As they continue to stockpile wins, one insider tossed around the idea of them making a big move down the line.
While on ESPN's "First Take" Thursday morning, Brian Windhorst shared his thoughts on Golden State's play to open the year. He touched on the production they've gotten from their new pieces but also opened up on their quest for another big-name player.
Over the past 10 months, the Warriors have been linked to numerous big names like LeBron James, Paul George and Lauri Markkanen. Given their aggressiveness in the market, Windhorst has pinned them as a team to potentially make a big splash.
"The Warriors are the biggest candidate in my mind to make a big trade," Windhorst said. "They tried to trade for LeBron James last trade deadline."
"This is a team that's got an itchy trigger finger, trying to make a big deal."
Along with having control of their draft picks, Golden State also has contracts of all sizes on its roster. This gives them flexibility in the event they continue trying to acquire a star to pair alongside Steph Curry.
Golden State Warriors could be among teams "circling" Giannis Antetokounmpo
At this point in the season, names haven't truly started to surface in the rumor mill yet. However, depending on how the coming months go, there could be another star-caliber player on the market for the Warriors to pursue.
Through the first two weeks, one of the biggest storylines in the NBA is the Milwaukee Bucks sitting with a 1-6 record. Despite their duo of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, the team continues to struggle to get into the win column.
Following this rocky start, chatter has slowly started about a possible Giannis trade. The Bucks haven't made the former MVP available, but Bill Reiter reported that teams are circling to see what happens in Milwaukee moving forward.
"Teams are circling -- and hopeful," one Western Conference team executive said.
"I wouldn't be surprised if it happened by the trade deadline," said a top executive of a team that could be in the mix.
Seeing that they've been linked to multiple star players in the past, the Warriors are likely a team to throw their hat in the ring for Giannis. Back in February, The Athletic reported that landing the Bucks star was a "dream scenario" for Golden State.
As for Milwaukee, Golden State could be an interesting trade partner for them in the event they want to move on from their franchise star. They have draft capital, veterans on good contracts and young talent to build around for the future.