NBA Rumors: Warriors looking to trade for a Klay Thompson replacement

After a solid start, the Golden State Warriors are reportedly looking to make a big trade to bring in more talent.

After striking out on the likes of Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen and Philadelphia 76ers star Paul George, they settled for several smaller fish. De'Anthony Milton, Kyle Anderson, and Buddy Hield were brought in to be rotation players to complete their roster renovations after letting team legend Klay Thompson leave. 

Anderson has been a useful rotation player while Hield is having a terrific year. However, Milton has been ruled out for the season, and his contract will likely be used to help match salaries in an aforementioned big trade. 

They also have Gary Payton II's and Kevon Looney's expiring contracts, which, when combined with Milton's salary, could net them a player making around $30 million. More if they included Jonathan Kuminga, who wasn't signed to a rookie contract extension and will hit restricted free agency.

That, along with several tradeable first-round picks, means that the Warriors can afford to go big game hunting ahead of the trade deadline. That being said, who might they target in a potential trade?

NBA Rumors: Can the Golden State Warriors make a big trade for a star?

Unlike in years past, there seems to be a big lack of stars on the trade block. The biggest names seemingly include Brandon Ingram and Jimmy Butler, but Ingram doesn't seem to interest the Warriors. Butler might and the middling Miami Heat may be open to moving him given that they don't project to be a playoff team at the moment. 

Kuminga, Payton II, Milton, and Looney, along with a first-round pick, might be enough to get the Heat to part with Butler. Getting a player who still has upside in Kuminga along with a first-round pick is actually a decent haul for a player that is 35 years old. 

The Heat probably wouldn't want to move him for anything less than a star, but that seems unlikely, and there is a real chance that he leaves in free agency next summer. Other trade candidates for the Warriors might include Chicago Bulls stars Nikola Vucevic and Zach LaVine, who both are having good seasons, especially Vucevic, who has rehabbed his trade value. 

He would give them size, rebounding, and scoring both inside and out but is a turnstile on defense. Meanwhile, LaVine is still a terrific offensive player and one of the more underrated shooters in the NBA, though he also has arguably the worst contract in the league. 

It's possible that that might mean that the Warriors could get him for the cost of Kuminga, Payton II, Milton, and Looney without a first being included, given how much it would save the Bulls. Of the four players, Butler seems the most likely, followed by LaVine, Vucevic, and then Ingram. Perhaps another star becomes available, but one of those players may be playing for the Warriors later this season.