In just about one month, training camp will begin for all 30 teams around the NBA. As the calendar flips to the month of September, the league as a whole continues to be a waiting game. Even with plenty of rumors this summer, nobody has really made a substantial move on the trade market. And despite solid free agents remaining available, no team is really making any additions right now. At the same time, front offices are always evaluating the next moves that they can make, especially teams like the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Clippers in the Western Conference.
Both the Warriors and Clippers have been known to be championship-contending franchises over the last decade, yet these organizations approached the offseason differently than in years past. Klay Thompson left Golden State after 13 years with the team that drafted him, and Paul George decided join Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference, leaving Los Angeles and Kawhi Leonard in the dust..
Change is inevitable for every franchise, and these two Western Conference powerhouses certainly flipped their rosters around in free agency. Whereas the Warriors added the likes of Buddy Hield, Kyle Anderson, and De'Anthony Melton, the Clippers added key talents like Kris Dunn, Derrick Jones Jr., Nic Batum, and Kevin Porter Jr.
Even after making all of these moves in free agency, the Warriors and Clippers remain two teams that have actively been searching the trade market to make more upgrades this summer. Although no trade has come close to being completed for either side, that doesn't mean they aren't in constant communication with the other 28 teams around the NBA.
You never know when a trade is going to be made in the NBA nowadays, and there are quite a few players that remain on the trade block that could have a great influence in a new city. Better yet, the Warriors and Clippers are among the teams in the West that could completely shift the trajectory of the 2024-25 season if they were to pull off a trade ahead of training camp.
As the new NBA season draws near, here are a few hypothetical trade scenarios involving the Warriors, Clippers, and other teams that could shift the balance of power in the Western Conference.
Warriors go all-in for title with Nikola Vucevic
Warriors receive: C Nikola Vucevic, F Torrey Craig
Bulls receive: C Kevon Looney, G Gary Payton II, G/F Moses Moody
In the wake of Thompson departing for the Dallas Mavericks this offseason, the Warriors seized their opportunity to finally cut back on the major tax bill they have been accustomed to having. Instead of being the league's highest-taxed and a second-apron team, the Warriors are operating as an above-the-tax team. This essentially gives them flexibility to not only offer their own players extensions, but be active in their pursuit of more talent on the trade market.
Overall, the Warriors were very active in terms of trying to make a trade this offseason. George was a player on their radar before he opted out of his deal with the Clippers, and Lauri Markkanen became Golden State's top trade target before NBA Summer League. While it may appear that the Warriors struck out on both All-Star talents, that is not the case whatsoever.
The main goals Mike Dunleavy Jr. and the Warriors' front office have right now are to maintain their title-contention status while also developing their young core of Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski, and others. In fact, the organization's unwillingness to move Kuminga or Podziemski led to their trade talks stalling out.
Plenty of options remain for Golden State to make a big move between now and the trade deadline. One point of weakness this team has been trying to solve for years has been in their frontcourt, next to Draymond Green. The center position has been an unsolvable spot on the court for Golden State, making Nikola Vucevic a name the Warriors should consider.
Vucevic is 33 years old and has always been a very serviceable big man in the NBA. Over the last four seasons, the veteran center has averaged 18.1 points and 10.9 rebounds per game while shooting 49.0 percent from the floor in a Chicago Bulls uniform. The best trait Vucevic possesses is his ability to effectively execute pick-and-pop sets and get wide-open looks from the perimeter, where he has shot 34.1 percent for his career.
Next to Curry and Green, Vucevic would see plenty of catch-and-shoot opportunities while also giving the Warriors a much-needed primary rebounder in the frontcourt. Although Kevon Looney has been great for this franchise through the years, the Warriors appear to be transitioning into a different way of thinking when it comes to utilizing their centers. Looney, who is a bruiser-like big man, was moved to the bench in favor of rookie Trayce Jackson-Davis and Green as a small-ball center last season.
If the Warriors are able to convince the Bulls to give up Vucevic for Moses Moody, and not have to trade any draft picks in the process, that would be a major win for Golden State. Vucevic still has two years left on his contract, and would immediately become a core part of the Warriors as they look to win their fifth title since 2015.
Then again, the only reason the Bulls would do this trade before the season begins is if they feel like there would be an opportunity to flip either Gary Payton II or Looney for more value at the trade deadline.
Kings trade for Domantas Sabonis depth
Kings receive: F/C Larry Nance Jr.
Hawks receive: F Trey Lyles, G Colby Jones, SAC 2026 2nd Round Pick, SAC 2029 2nd Round Pick
Much like the Warriors, the Sacramento Kings have been browsing the NBA trade market for potential upgrades this offseason. Not only did Sacramento show interest in Markkanen earlier this summer when free agency began, but the Kings also explored the possibility of trading for Kyle Kuzma from the Washington Wizards ahead of the 2024 NBA Draft.
In the end, the Kings ended up getting six-time NBA All-Star DeMar DeRozan in a sign-and-trade with the Bulls. DeRozan now joins De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis in Sacramento's quest to make it back to the playoffs.
However, this won't be a small feat for the Kings to achieve, especially since there are 13 teams with a real shot of claiming a play-in tournament spot at the very least. Mike Brown and his staff are going to need depth at every position, which is why the Kings are still exploring the market for frontcourt help.
Even though Robert Williams III was a name floated around and linked to the Kings this offseason, Larry Nance Jr. is an experienced forward that would make a lot more sense for this organization. That is especially true if Sacramento could get Nance at a discounted price from what some would expect.
Nance was traded to the Atlanta Hawks this offseason from the New Orleans Pelicans in the trade that sent Dejounte Murray to NOLA. The 31-year-old has always been a very steady presence in his team's frontcourt, and he is an underrated utility player in the sense that Nance can do a little bit of everything. Last season, he averaged 5.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.9 assists per game while shooting 57.3 percent from the floor and 41.5 percent from three-point range.
This is the type of production that the Kings are currently missing in their frontcourt, mainly when you take Nance's defensive effort and abilities into account. At 6'8″, Nance has no problem stepping out on the perimeter against more agile guards, and he holds his own well against many centers in the league.
There is no doubt that Nance would be an upgrade over Trey Lyles, and it is hard to imagine that the Kings will carve out a role for Colby Jones in the coming years. Despite trading Davion Mitchell to the Toronto Raptors, the Kings drafted Devin Carter in the first round of this year's draft as a two-way combo guard. Keon Ellis is also going to see his role increase, leaving little minutes to be had for Jones in Sacramento.
The Hawks currently find themselves in a somewhat purgatory state as a franchise due to their unknown path forward. Trae Young remains in Atlanta, and he is joined by first overall pick Zaccharie Risacher on the wing. While it is possible that the Hawks could shock everyone and make it to the playoffs, the overwhelming belief is that this franchise is going to continue looking for ways to improve their future outlook.
Lyles is in the final year of his contract and will be $8 million off the books for the Hawks next offseason. Jones is a 22-year-old still trying to find his role and footing in the NBA. Then there are two future second-round picks that Atlanta can add to their collection for a player that is likely to be moved at some point.
Unless there is another team willing to offer more for Nance, this is surely an offer that the Hawks would entertain.
Dorian Finney-Smith heads west
Clippers receive: F Dorian Finney-Smith
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Nets receive: G Bones Hyland, C Jock Landale, LAC 2030 1st Round Pick (Unprotected)
Rockets receive: F PJ Tucker
What are the Clippers going to look like without George? Can Kawhi stay healthy for the entire season? Will the duo of James Harden and Leonard be enough to keep the Clippers in the playoff picture?
These are all valid questions being asked about LA right now, and nobody seems to have any sort of answer because of the changes the Clippers have gone through.
The 2024-25 season will mark the first year that the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, will house the Clippers. Steve Ballmer has invested a ton of money into his organization and new facilities, which is why he isn't prepared to see them miss the postseason. At the same time, the Clippers are going to have to get creative with ways to surround Harden and Leonard with the right secondary talents in order to win.
Dorian Finney-Smith is arguably the best two-way player on the trade block right now, and he could help a variety of NBA teams contend for a playoff spot because of the fact that he is comfortable fitting into a box. When he was with the Mavs, Finney-Smith was a very confident 3-and-D type of player. While he has played with more freedom as a member of the Brooklyn Nets, the 31-year-old still assumes the responsibilities of defending his opponent's best player at a high level.
The Clippers need a defensive stopper next to Leonard, and the perks of trading for Finney-Smith extend all the way to the three-point line, where he shot 34.8 percent last season. Unfortunately, the Nets haven't been willing to budge on their asking price of first-round assets in exchange for Finney-Smith, which is why he hasn't been moved yet. The general belief around the league is that if Brooklyn wants to move the veteran between now and the trade deadline, they will need to be willing to accept a package that includes one or two second-round picks instead.
The problem here is that the Clippers don't really have any second-round picks that they can offer up that Brooklyn would have genuine interest in. So, attaching a 2030 first-round pick with Bones Hyland and PJ Tucker could possibly get the job done and put Finney-Smith in a Clippers uniform. Then, the next order of business will be finding a third team to take on the final year of Tucker's $11.5 million contract.
While the Miami Heat would make sense, they would have a hard time making the money work as a third team to help facilitate this trade. So, what about the Houston Rockets? Ime Udoka has drastically improved Houston's immediate outlook pertaining to the playoffs in the Western Conference, and he always likes to have veteran defenders on his roster. Tucker, who played with the Rockets for four seasons, would be an excellent veteran leader both on and off the court for this team.
Tucker also still has a little bit left in the tank, so perhaps he could actually be of value to the Rockets at the age of 39.
From the Nets' perspective, they are able to salvage value for Finney-Smith, who is entering the final year of his contract. In addition to taking a chance on a young, dynamic guard like Hyland, the Nets will also free up cap space with the ability to waive Jock Landale with no penalty since his contract is non-guaranteed to begin each of the next two years. Of course, the Nets also get a valuable 2030 first-round pick, which could end up being a lottery pick depending on what the next few years look like for the Clippers.
If Los Angeles wants to capitalize on their chances of remaining competitive in the Western Conference, Finney-Smith is a player that would make a ton of sense for them.
