Warriors could get chance to make amends for Jordan Poole trade blunder

The Golden State Warriors decision to trade Jordan Poole in the 2023 offseason wasn't necessarily a shock one, such was the disappointment in his form during that year's playoffs and an impending four-year contract worth in excess of $30 million per year.

The bigger surprise was that the Warriors essentially traded Poole as a salary dump, taking on the one guaranteed year left on Chris Paul's contract. But in dealing with the Washington Wizards on the trade, Golden State made a blunder in which player they actually targeted.

Within the same period as the Poole-Paul trade, the Wizards also dealt Kristaps Porzingis to the now reigning champion Boston Celtics. Perhaps Porzingis always had his eye on the Celtics anyway given he had the option of opting out and becoming an unrestricted free agent shortly after, but there was nonetheless little suggestion that the Warriors had interest in the Latvian big man.

The Warriors should have targeted Kristaps Porzingis in the Jordan Poole trade

In hindsight, Golden State would have surely been better trying to land a player like Porzingis in a position of need, rather than a veteran point guard in Paul to play behind fellow future Hall of Famer Stephen Curry.

Perhaps in the long run it was the right decision given they got their hands on Jimmy Butler this February, but maybe there's also a world in which they could have done both. That world might still exist, with the Warriors potentially holding the opportunity to make amends for the Poole trade this offseason.

According to ESPN's Shams Charania, there's expected change coming in Boston as the franchise looks to balance a roster that now has five players set to make in excess of $28 million next season.

"I can tell you, the rest of the league is bracing for some level of change from the Celtics roster this offseason," Charania said on the Pat McAfee Show. "Sources have been telling me for weeks now that the Celtics will be exploring trade options in the offseason."

Of the five key players on big deals, Porzingis and Jrue Holiday may be the most likely to be dealt in order to manage the cap situation. Porzingis is set to make $30.7 million on the last year of his deal, and presents as a risk Golden State may need to take as they look to address their starting center spot for next season.

Could the Warriors orchestrate another multi-team sign-and-trade where a team like the Brooklyn Nets acquired restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga and another smaller salary, while the Celtics send Porzingis to Golden State?

There is ever-present injury concerns with the 29-year-old, but Porzingis has still averaged 19.5 points, 6.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocks while shooting a career-high 41.2% from 3-point range this season.

A starting lineup of Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Butler, Draymond Green and Porzingis feels a lot more balanced, rather than going into next season forcing Green to again play considerable minutes as a small-ball five.

It feels like a pipe dream for this scenario to actually play out this offseason, but perhaps Charania's report opens the door for the Warriors to correct their Poole mistake and acquire the starting quality center they still desperately need.