The Warriors want to find their next franchise superstar to pair next to Stephen Curry and chase another championship.
The golden era of the Warriors dynasty may be over, but the franchise is still actively working to build the best roster possible around Stephen Curry. According to ESPN's Shams Charania, their plan involves the NBA trade market, where they are searching for their next superstar.
"I'm told that the Warriors are on the real hunt for a star. A playmaker and a scorer alongside Stephen Curry," said Shams on NBA Today. "This summer, they pursued Lauri Markkanen of the Utah Jazz, and they made a pitch to Paul George with the Clippers. The debate with the Warriors and the teams who look into their situation is if they are going to find it outside the roster or will it be in-house with a player like Jonathan Kuminga."
The Warriors achieved greatness with their legendary championship core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Kevin Durant. But since the departures of Durant and Klay, it's left a vacancy for the Warriors that Stephen Curry has been unable to fill on his own.
Despite a couple of miserable seasons, the Warriors are still confident that Curry can lead them to another championship. This season, with averages of 22.6 points, 6.6 assists, and 5.6 rebounds per game on 45.6% shooting, Steph is proving that he can still live up to his superstar standards.
The biggest question now for the Warriors is where they can find Curry's next co-star. As some have mentioned, it's possible that they already have their next star in the form of a young player like Moses Moody or Jonathan Kuminga (who just scored a career-high 33 points).
If not, the Warriors will have to look elsewhere for some help and several players could make a big impact for them. One example is New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram. While the Warriors already have depth at the wing positions, Ingram's size and skills could give them added versatility in the frontcourt along with potentially bolstering their perimeter defense.
Kyle Kuzma is another potential option for the Warriors. His shooting and scoring ability may not be up to All-Star standards but it will surely provide a boost for a Warriors squad that currently ranks 20th in field goal shooting (45.6% as a team this season).
If the Warriors want an upgrade at center, they might consider making an offer for Chicago Bulls big man Nikola Vucevic, who is rumored to be on the trade block this season. With averages of 21.7 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game this season, Vucevic knows how to put the ball in the hoop and his particular skillset would make a nice contrast to Curry's game.
Whether it's one of those names or someone else entirely, the Warriors are sure to take their chances on the trade market this season, and with Steph Curry still playing elite basketball, they owe it to him to surround him with the best team they can. If someone doesn't step up soon to help him, GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. will have no problem searching for someone from the outside to step in and take up the mantle as Curry's co-star.
After a win against the Rockets yesterday, the Warriors are set to finish their back-to-back set tonight, at home, at 10:00 PM EST against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Both teams are scheduled for a rematch two days later, at Chase Center, on December 8th at 8:30 PM. After that, the Warriors will be playing in the NBA Emirates Cup on Wednesday, December 11th, at Toyota Center, in the West Quarterfinal against the Houston Rockets.
