Trade No. 1
The Golden State Warriors don’t have the need to move a guy like Kevin Durant at the moment, and most definitely would never trade their beloved Steph Curry.
So the three remaining All-Star talents that the Warriors possess as assets are the accomplished trio of Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and DeMarcus Cousins.
In this trade idea, the New Orleans Pelicans get Thompson and Cousins (again) to hopefully solidify this roster and make it more of a well-rounded team that can potentially do damage in the West for years to come.
Probable Pelicans starting lineup:
- PG – Jrue Holiday
- SG – Klay Thompson
- SF – Nikola Mirotic
- PF – Julius Randle
- C – DeMarcus Cousins
When healthy, Cousins could immediately guide this potential versatile group down a new road of success without their superstar Anthony Davis demanding a trade in the near future – limiting their options – or opting out of his contract in a few summers (2020).
And what Klay Thompson has been lacking in shooting this year, he makes up for with his defensive abilities. The duo of Thompson and Holiday would create one of the deadliest defensive backcourts the NBA has seen in years.
All of these trade ideas will include draft picks from the Warriors, but in this one the Pelicans get two unprotected firsts (2019 and 2021) that become immediate assets or future prospects down the road.
In conclusion, the Pelicans make this deal because they believe in Klay Thompson and that he would be a better asset than the Celtics’ Jaylen Brown or the Lakers’ Brandon Ingram.
Are they wrong?