Top 3 players currently linked with Golden State Warriors | NBA Trade Deadline 2021
With the trade deadline day fast approaching, the Golden State Warriors have been the subject of a plethora of NBA trade rumors. After a sub-par campaign so far, the Warriors front office looks to strengthen their squad to bolster their playoff qualification hopes.
In a stacked Western Conference, the Golden State Warriors, who are ninth in the standings, could face stiff competition for a place in the postseason.
However, the Golden State Warriors have had a pretty inconsistent campaign this season. If the former champions fail to add a solid player to their ranks, they could miss out on the playoffs altogether this year.
In their first game post the All-Star break, Stephen Curry and crew lost 104-130 to the LA Clippers but bounced back to beat the Utah Jazz 131-119.
However, instead of continuing that momentum into their next game against the reigning champions LA Lakers, they suffered a blowout 97-128 reverse.
Three players the Golden State Warriors could acquire before the NBA Trade Deadline 2021:
Apart from their inconsistency, the Golden State Warriors have also suffered from a lack of depth in scoring, leaving Stephen Curry to do all the heavy lifting in offense against some of the strongest opponents.
The likes of Andrew Wiggins, Kelly Oubre Jr., Draymond Green, and James Wiseman do have a lot of potential but have failed to deliver consistently.
That could see the Golden State Warriors make a few moves before the NBA Trade Deadline 2021. On that note, let's take a look at three players whom the Golden State Warriors could acquire, as per NBA trade rumors in this regard:
#3 Otto Porter Jr.
Otto Porter Jr. might not be one of the best players on the Chicago Bulls roster, but he could prove to be a great signing for the Golden State Warriors.
According to Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer, teams are keeping an eye on the forward. Here is what the full report on Porter says:
"Teams are also eyeing Otto Porter Jr., who’s played only 45 games with the Bulls since being acquired from the Wizards in 2019 because of ongoing back issues. Chicago could just let his contract run out before he hits the market this off-season, but executives believe a buyout could occur. League sources say one team with interest in Porter is the Warriors."
With buyout being a possibility, the Golden State Warriors could exercise their disabled player option, which will allow them to add another player along with Otto Porter Jr. to give them much-needed depth.
While Porter's numbers have gone down this campaign, he could still be a threat on the Golden State Warriors team. He is averaging 10.2 points per game, shooting 42.4% from the field and 39.3% from downtown this campaign.
#2 Aaron Gordon
As per Bleacher Report, Aaron Gordon has been on the wishlist of the Golden State Warriors even before the season commenced.
The seven-season veteran could give the Golden State Warriors much-needed depth and experience coming off the bench. Despite his injury issues, he could prove to be a force to be reckoned with.
Gordon is currently playing for a mediocre team like the Orlando Magic, which has meant that the player hasn't received enough opportunities to realize his optimum potential.
That could change if he arrives at the Golden State Warriors. In the company of Draymond Green and Steph Curry, Gordon might blossom into the third superstar in the team.
He is averaging 13.6 points per game this campaign, doing so while shooting 42.5% from the field and a career-best 36.5% from beyond the arc. To secure Gordon's services, the Golden State Warriors will likely have to trade Kelly Oubre Jr. along with another role player and a first-round draft pick from 2022.
#1 Victor Oladipo
Victor Oladipo has been one of the most frequent names to pop up in NBA trade rumors surrounding the Golden State Warriors.
The Houston Rockets guard was seen as an ideal partner to pair up with Stephen Curry after the Golden State Warriors struggled in Klay Thompson's absence this season.
Victor Oladipo isn't performing at an All-Star level, but he could be an upgrade on Oubre, who has switched to the guard position this season. Oladipo is averaging 20.8 points, 5.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game this season compared to Oubre's 15.2 points, 1.3 assists and 5.8 rebounds per outing.
However, as reported by Anthony Slater of The Athletic, the Houston Rockets' asking price for Oldaipo could be "too steep to even realistically consider". That could mean the Golden State Warriors dropping their pursuit of Oladipo.
But Slater also mentioned that the move could not be ruled out completely, as the two teams could find a solution as the deadline day approaches near.