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The Golden State Warriors are having a tumultuous season and are in danger of missing the playoffs. The Warriors are 12th in the Western Conference standings and are four games below .500. They are expected to be active at the trade deadline to address some of their glaring weaknesses.
Golden State also has the duty to at least make things right by Steph Curry, who has been having another great campaign. The same can't be said for Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green.
Thompson and Wiggins have not found their rhythm, while Green has caused too much trouble to stay on the court.
Five glaring weaknesses the Golden State Warriors must address at the trade deadline
The Golden State Warriors were already linked to Pascal Siakam before the Indiana Pacers swooped in and acquired him from the Toronto Raptors. He would have fixed some of the Warriors' problems this season, but the Raptors were asking too much draft capital for a player with an expiring deal.
On that note, let's look at the five glaring weaknesses the Warriors will need to address before or at the trade deadline.
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#5 Figure out the starting lineup and rotation
Steve Kerr had to make adjustments to his lineups and rotations on a game-to-game basis. It's one of the reasons why their young core has been frustrated with playing time, as Kerr would want to get Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins going on offense.
However, Kerr will need to figure out his starting five and rotation for the second half of the season. If the Golden State Warriors want to have some semblance of consistency, general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. must plan with Kerr on which players must stay at the trade deadline.
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#4 Give more minutes to the young guys
There's no question that the Golden State Warriors' young players have outplayed the veterans this season. Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, Brandin Podziemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis have played phenomenally for the Warriors when given the chance.
Steve Kerr's decision to keep playing his vets makes no sense at times, especially when one of his young guys is playing well. With Kuminga and Moody set for their rookie extensions, it would be better to see how they handle the current situation before deciding to extend or trade them.
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#3 Get Klay Thompson going by letting him come off the bench
Klay Thompson's rough campaign means he might not hold a lot of value around the league. That would make him a tough player to trade, but his expiring contract could be attractive to teams looking to have some cap space this summer. He could also be helpful to a contender.
Another way to help Thompson could be to bring him off the bench rather than start the game. He's no longer the player he once was, so it might be better for him to play against lesser talents in opposing teams' second units.
If he can score against those guys, he will regain his confidence, which could help the Warriors later in the season.
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#2 Add size and athleticism
With the trade deadline fast approaching, the Golden State Warriors don't have any choice but to make some deals.
They need to add size if they want to have a shot at making a run for a play-in tournament spot. Clint Capela, Nikola Vucevic, Jalen Smith, Jarrett Allen and Jonathan Isaac are potential targets.
Meanwhile, if Golden State wants to retain Jonathan Kuminga, they won't need a lot of athleticism. But if they go that route, Alex Caruso would be a perfect player to add. Caruso's defense and shooting is what the team needs.
#1 Trade for a second option on offense
The Golden State Warriors have no clear-cut second option on offense after Steph Curry. Klay Thompson doesn't have it anymore, while Andrew Wiggins' confidence remains in limbo. Jonathan Kuminga has the potential, but Kerr doesn't trust him enough.
The Warriors need to acquire a scorer at the trade deadline. With Pascal Siakam out of the equation, they should focus on players like Lauri Markkanen, Kyle Kuzma, Jerami Grant, Bogdan Bogdanovic and Bojan Bogdanovic.
