Report: Warriors in ‘real hunt’ to trade for star before deadline originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
It’s only a matter of time before the Warriors make a big impact.
With the NBA’s Feb. 6 trade deadline fast approaching, general manager Mike Dunleavy and Co. are considering a move to stardom, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported.
The star would complement four-time NBA champions Steph Curry and Draymond Green.
“I’m told the Warriors are in the hunt for a star, a playmaker and a scorer next to Stephen Curry,” Charania said Friday on “NBA Today.” “And you think back to the summer when they pursued Lauri Markanen with the Utah Jazz. They threw a pitch for Paul George as a free agent with the Clippers.”
Although the Warriors lost big players like Markkanen and George, they have benefited from offseason additions like Buddy Hield, Kyle Anderson, De’Anthony Melton and Lindy Waters through the 21 games of the 2024-25 season.
While not an offseason signing, the same can be said of Golden State’s No. 7 overall pick in the 2021 NBA draft, Jonathan Kuminga, who erupted for a career-high 33 points in the Warriors’ 99-93 win at the Houston Rockets on Thursday night.
But can Kuminga find consistency and establish himself as the third star Golden State will have to challenge for another NBA title this season?
Charania alluded to the fact that Golden State’s top brass, as it continues to build a championship-caliber roster, is taking the 22-year-old forward’s trajectory into account.
“And the debate with the Warriors and teams looking at that situation is: Are they going to find that externally, outside of this roster right now?” Charania asked. “Or will it be in-house, with a player like Jonathan Kuminga?
“Last night, [he] scored 33 points the first time he played 30 minutes in a game all season. He has shown through his work that as his role increases, so do his statistics and various points in the relationship between Joanthan Kuminga and Steve Kerr.
“[It’s] something Warriors officials have been keeping an eye on over the past year, and how he fits in once Stephen Curry and Draymond Green are back in the lineup.
Time remains on Dunleavy’s side, but as Charania suggests, Golden State is ready to make a blockbuster trade for a new star before time runs out.
“[It] It will be interesting to watch, but the future of the Warriors will take shape in the coming weeks and months before the trade deadline,” Charania concluded.
“How can they get that next championship with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green?”
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