Steve Kerr doesn’t expect Warriors to trade two key veterans
The February 8 trade deadline is just over a week away. The Golden State Warriors have been rumored to be actively seeking opportunities to upgrade their roster following a tough first half of the season. Yet, given the talent and veteran experience within the locker room, it’s hard to pinpoint where a legitimate talent upgrade will come from.
During a recent interview with “Willard & Dibs” on 95.7 The Game, Steve Kerr noted that it’s unlikely Golden State looks to move on from Chris Paul of Gary Payton II. Both veterans have dealt with injuries in recent months but could provide significant upside once they return to the rotation.
“We’re not gonna find better players than those guys in a trade,” Kerr said. “It’s exceedingly rare to make a deal to where you can upgrade your talent to that level. I’m excited about getting those guys back, Moses, too…I think a deal is almost always unlikely, but that doesn’t mean a deal won’t happen. That’s Mike’s job anyway. It’s not anything that I concern myself with. Mike will call me and keep me in the loop if something’s going on.”
Paul is widely viewed as one of the Warriors’ primary trade chips. The final year of his contract, which kicks in after the current season ends, is non-guaranteed, which could be enticing to multiple teams around the NBA.
Steve Kerr discussing the return of CP3 & GP2 around the trade deadline ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/nZhZeYmWxk
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) February 1, 2024
However, with the Warriors looking to get their season back on track, they will likely value Paul’s leadership and skillset more than moving his money off the books within the next week.
Kerr has recently settled on a new frontcourt trio of Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins, and Jonathan Kuminga, and early signs are encouraging. As such, the Warriors may choose to stand pat and let their roster get healthy rather than making a move at the deadline.
