NBA Trade Rumors: Exploring three potential targets that could arise next for the Golden State Warriors after the move for Dennis Schroder.
The Golden State Warriors got the rumor mill running on overtime over the weekend as they quickly moved in to make the bold move for Dennis Schroder. But even now that they've acquired Schroder, the early indications are that they're going to continue to be aggressive on the trade market heading into the deadline. In fact, that's probably why they pulled the trigger on this move this early - so they would still have time to explore other offers before the deadline.
What that aggression will ultimately look like for the Warriors remains to be seen. However, with still movable contracts on their roster and draft capital at their disposal, there's reason to believe that Golden State may not be done making moves. In fact, let's predict three targets the Warriors could explore next even after the move for Schroder.
Robert Williams III, Portland Trail Blazers
There have been some whispers that the Golden State Warriors were interested in acquiring a starting-caliber center that could help take some of the frontcourt pressure off on Draymond Green on a consistent basis. While there could be a plethora of centers the Warriors could target before the NBA Trade Deadline, I do believe Robert Williams III could be an intriguing option for the team.
RWIII is prototypically a center that would fit right in with the Warriors. He can get up and down the floor with ease, is a strong defensive force at the rim, and doesn't need the ball in his hands to be effective on the offensive end of the floor. RWIII has a knack for just fitting in. But if there's one concern with RWIII, it's the injuries. Because of that, it could scare the Warriors away from an all-out pursuit of the defensive-minded big man.
Kyle Kuzma, Washington Wizards
There's reason to believe that Kyle Kuzma could emerge as a potential target for the Golden State Warriors. Especially if Golden State decides that they're probably better off trading Jonathan Kuminga before the trade deadline, this is where a veteran scorer like Kuzma could make some sense in finding a return.
On a fair contract, the Warriors could look to Kuzma as somewhat of a stopgap at the position that could also help this team in their pursuit of winning now. As an established, proven offensive player in the frontcourt, Kuzma could be everything the team is looking for without the headache of what could await the team during the offseason on the Kuminga front. If the writing is on the wall for Kuminga walking in free agency, Kuzma could easily emerge as a strong option for the Warriors.
Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat
At last, we have Jimmy Butler. Even though the Warriors did already make the move for Dennis Schroder, I'm not sure that would eliminate them from the Jimmy sweepstakes. It does make a potential trade of Jimmy a bit more complicated considering they would likely now need the help of a third or fourth team to make the money work but that's not a huge problem if the team truly wants to make a move for an All-Star player.
The Warriors' interest in Jimmy has been long reported and I have a hard time believing that's going to change any time soon. Whether the Heat actually moves forward to trade Jimmy is an entirely different question. However, if Jimmy does end up getting traded, all signs continue to point to the Warriors. If Golden State believes that Jimmy could be the final piece of their championship puzzle, this is certainly a move to keep a close eye on.
The Warriors are likely going to continue to push for an additional move or two ahead of the NBA Trade Deadline. It's difficult to confidently say if they will accomplish their goal or not. However, the Warriors are still very much in the market to continue to improve their roster. The move for Schroder wasn't likely their only move before the trade deadline.
