The Golden State Warriors They started as heavy favorites for the 2022-2023 season. Once again the Californians had proven to be a successful organization, with unlimited life and could return to the top. Months after that, having lost the soul of this team as the second unit, Steve Kerr’s men are anchored in the midfield and have no room for improvement. All this time Stephen Curry continues at the best possible level, which complicates the situation.

The transfer market It’s in full swing and while it doesn’t happen every day, behind the scenes, executives are on the phone answering calls with potential deals.

The Warriors are no exception. In fact, it should be one of the most active groups headed to trade deadline of the entire NBA. Their needs have relegated them to the battle for play-in when a year ago he was the big sensation of the Regular Season.

With that in mind, what do the Golden State Warriors need from the transfer market? And more importantly, what should your goals be?

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The needs of the Warriors towards the trade deadline

The defending is the Achilles heel of the Golden State Warriors this season. If last year they were second best in the entire league, this season they have plummeted to 16th place in the efficiency rating.

Losing Gary Payton II has a lot to do with it, but also others like Otto Porter Jr, Nemanja Bjelica and even Juan Toscano. This decline in the quality of the second unit in favor of youth has its consequences, but it should also be mentioned that Draymond Green is not having his best time and that has caused the system to suffer.

From this great lack arises the second: the PAGKAKI. Golden State has the fourth-worst second unit in the entire NBA, second only to the Rockets, Nuggets and Spurs. While they don’t need much of a rotation to become champions again, since that gets shortened in the Playoffs, it’s true that their replacements are very weak compared to the rest of the West.

In short, what the Golden State Warriors need to get in the closing trade is defense and bench.

The Warriors’ transfer options are heading towards trade deadline

Alex Caruso

• Chicago receives: James Wiseman, 2nd round 2025 (via Hornets) and 2nd round 2026 (via Grizzlies)
• golden state receives: Alex Caruso

As mentioned recently Mark Stein, the price the Bulls would put on Alex Caruso would be two First Rounders. While that’s logically what Chicago would demand, the odds of any franchise offering something like that for a role player, as game-changing as it is, are next to none. If those from Illinois want to start rebuilding and get a return on their assets, one of the groups that could give them the most for Carousel it would be the Warriors.

Golden State has plenty of assets in the Draft to leverage, but they will only use them if they have a real chance of winning a ring again. Something that can happen this year and next year, but for that they have to make moves like a hypothetical transfer of Caruso.

The former Lakers would help improve the two most important aspects Bahia is lacking, namely defense and the bench. Caruso is holding opponents to a 46% shooting percentage while holding the Bulls’ best defensive ratio (107.6), which would be tied for the best defense in the NBA. On the other hand, it is on average a 38.7% on 3-pointers with 5.6 points and 3.3 assists in 24 minutes.

If there’s one player the Warriors should make a move for, it’s Caruso, who has one year left on his partially guaranteed contract.

PJ Washington

• charlotte receives: Moses Moody, James Wiseman
• golden state receives: PJ Washington, Mason Plumlee and Jalen McDaniels

This business would mean to assume that the commitment to young people he made Bob Myers It was a complete failure. However, correcting a mistake in time can also end in success, and Charlotte would welcome it number 2 in the 2020 draft How is it Wise man.

This trade was suggested by ESPN analyst Bobby Marks, which makes perfect sense since it would close on both sides without having to include any Draft rounds. Wiseman and Moody They don’t seem to be able to help the Warriors’ goals right now, and they have no time to waste waiting to get to their best. Therefore, Golden State looked for options that contributed to the present.

PJ Washington He is a very interesting person who has gone unnoticed by the general public since he debuted. Although his outside shooting after a pass has been declining year over year, reaching 34.2% this stretch, he is someone who can play open and punish from distance. In addition, he is a mobile infielder, between the 4 and 5 position, who has taken a step forward to average 14.9 units in 2022-2023.

On the other hand, add hillock It would mean bolstering the 5 spot with someone who is a veteran and handles himself well as a passer and in one-on-one situations. Although who could be the surprise would be mcdanielsa long forward with a good three hand though not reliable percentages and that would give more packaging to the second unit.

Kyle Kuzma

• Washington receives: James Wiseman, Moses Moody, 2026 1st Round (lottery protected) & 2025 2nd Round (via Hornets)
• golden state receives: Kyle Kuzma and Taj Gibson

For nearly the same price as Alex Caruso, the Warriors could get one of the biggest names on the market in Kyle Kuzma. The forward would be a perfect fit for this team due to his combination of play off the ball, speed and defence. Although the former Lakers player is not an elite defender, he has shown that he has the ability to make a positive impact in a system that promotes change and help like this one.

Kuzma having the time of his life with 22 points, 7.6 rebounds and 4.0 assists to some Wizards who aspire to nothing at this point. Washington has dropped its intentions to keep the forward, just as it has expressed it wants to explore the market.

That would be it big risk for the Warriors they’re thinking ahead because they’d be drafting a First Rounder to use when Curry was going to retire, so it’s a risky bet.

Without a doubt, Kuz would solve a lot of the Californians’ problems with the stroke of a pen. Additionally, it would give Kerr more room to maneuver when it comes to building lineups and even betting on an all-player-centric quintet. small ball.

The views expressed here do not necessarily represent those of the NBA or its organizations.

At the time when it’s harder to defend, or at least that it’s more complicated to show off at the back, there have been some players who shine despite everything on that side of the pitch. The defending It has always been an area where Interiors They had a lot to say and at this historical moment the whole frame of a team is shaped by the big ones. The aids, the strategy in the direct block, the protection of the rim, the rebound rules… Everything starts from this axis which is the centre and this signals a team’s defensive capabilities.

Until Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving joined forces brooklyn nets everyone expected them to automatically fight for the ring. However, they weren’t even close to being able to aspire to it. Among the many reasons behind this is a very interesting one, which has to do with his defense, one of the worst in the NBA since 2019 and which has systematically opted for an auto-change system. Steve Nash was clear about the what, but he lacked the how and never had the right players for it. Years later Jacques Vaughan seems to have hit the switch, taking advantage of the team’s improvement, yes, but also using a young man who largely explains the Nets’ success this season.

Your name, Nicholas Claxton, someone who has barely been talked about this season, but is one of the big guys responsible for Brooklyn’s step forward in 2022-2023. Such is the impact of this 23-year-old that he is the second most likely to win the award defender of the year right back Jaren Jackson Jr. And it’s not for less.

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Among the interior spaces of the defensive volume, Claxton He is the third-least successful in allowing his opponents at paint with 59%, ahead of Myles Turner (58.4%) and Jaren Jackson Jr (53.6%). What unites him with the Grizzlies figure is how he extends that impact farther from the rim, a key aspect when evaluating any interior defenseman today.

What is most sought after today in a centre It’s his versatility, that is, his ability to switch brands with someone who is faster or shorter and not be too exposed. Claxtonunlike other interior hitters like Gobert, it can come out of the paint and handle it with ease. This season, the Nets point guard is allowing 0.86 points per possession in transition situations according to inStat, while in clarifications he ranks in 75th percentile according to NBA statistics. Yes, Claxton He is the player in the entire NBA who defends the most distances (2.5 per night)so allowing just 0.78 points per action makes his ability and ability to get out of these unscathed all the more remarkable. mismatches.

However, it’s the board where the Brooklyn player handles himself best, since that’s where he applies his 2.20m wingspan. This forward-bodied midfielder is a master of deflections, passes and shot-blocking and can finally do so within a system that benefits him. And no, the numbers don’t lie, just watch some of his matches to see that his impact is real and tangible:

Claxton is largely responsible for the Nets being among the 11 best defenses in the NBA when last year they were among the 11 worst. with him on the field they have the best offensive ratio of the entire team at 110.5, what would equate to being the fourth best team in the league if projected over time. And what about when he sits on the bench? That number rises to 112, right where Brooklyn ranks overall.

Additionally, in terms of on/off court impact, he’s only ahead of Kevin Durant in a similar volume of minutes. While the star has +6.1 net score when he plays for -2.1 while not, Claxton is hot as second best at +5.5 and -1.0.

It has long been said that what the Nets really needed to win was a top-notch interior, something that Claxton’s appearance erased with the stroke of a pen. His step forward justified how long it took to get hereas well as the firm commitment Sean Marks made to give him the confidence to be the centre team owner. In the past, the former Georgian has been guilty of inexperience and immaturity on the court. He arrived at the wrong time for help, overstepped his defensive responsibilities and committed too many fouls during his time playing.

That slow progression, that trial and error is now paying dividends and explains a lot of Brooklyn’s success along the way.

In the race for the individual prizes of the season, the availability of the candidate, i.e. how many games he plays, counts as much or more. While Jaren Jackson Jr. He is a solid contender and the favorite to win the best defender award, his injury-proneness can work against him, as it did with Draymond Green last year. In contrast, Nic Claxton has missed just three games all season, is second in blocks per game and is the player who takes the fewest hits against his opponent in the entire NBA (41.6%).

He has everything in his favor to surprise, he just needs a chance.

The views expressed here do not necessarily represent those of the NBA or its organizations.