Warriors coach Steve Kerr and Steph Curry
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Head Coach Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors speaks with Stephen Curry #30 against the Denver Nuggets.
The Golden State Warriors are not just focusing on a home run trade for a star such as Jimmy Butler. But they have also been trying to hit as many singles as they could to set up Stephen Curry for a grand slam.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that aside from the Warriors’ pursuit of a secondary star next to Curry, they are also among the teams who are eyeing the Brooklyn Nets‘ veteran trio of Cam Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith and guard Dennis Schröder.
“The Warriors are among the teams that have expressed interest in those three players, sources said,” Charania wrote.
He added that “rival teams believe the Warriors are open to using injured guard De’Anthony Melton‘s $12.8 million expiring salary along with draft incentives to make a potential deal for that salary range.”
Schröder’s $13 million salary is the cleanest fit.
The Warriors have to add a salary filler for Finney-Smith, who is due $14.9 million this season, and more for Johnson’s $23.6 million salary.
Pair of 3-and-D Wings
But of the three Nets vets on the trade block, the 28-year-old Johnson should be the Warriors’ top priority and also the most expensive, not only in terms of salary but more so the trade cost.
An NBA personnel told the New York Post in September that the Nets “have had consistently high trade demands for Johnson.”
The Nets fetched a haul of picks (four unprotected, one protected first-round pick and a pick swap) from the New York Knicks when they traded Johnson’s partner-in-crime Mikal Bridges in the offseason.
With Johnson on pace for a career year, the Nets would also likely demand multiple picks in return.
His higher upside, though, compared to the other two Nets veterans, should warrant the high trade cost.
The former North Carolina standout is averaging a career-best 18.8 points on 43.4% 3-point shooting, 4.3 rebounds and 2.9 assists. Johnson and Andrew Wiggins could give the Warriors two of the best perimeter defenders in the league.
Finney-Smith is the cheaper trade target, but he’s no slouch either.
The 6-foot-7 Finney-Smith could play the enforcer role for the Warriors, which could serve as insurance if Draymond Green misses court time due to injury or another shenanigan.
Finney-Smith is a more versatile defender than Johnson, as he can defend centers. The 31-year-old NBA veteran is also a floor-spacing wing, hitting 43.2% of his 3-pointers this season.
The Veteran Backcourt Leader
Schröder could easily slide to Melton’s role as another playmaker and scorer in the Warriors backcourt next to Curry.
The slippery point guard gave Steve Kerr and Team USA a headache in Manila last year as Schröder led Germany to a gold medal run in the 2023 FIBA World Cup and reached the quarterfinals of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Now, he’s starring in the Nets’s competitive run in the Eastern Conference, averaging 18.6 points and 6.5 assists despite their lowly projection as a lottery team.
The 6-foot-1 point guard is coming off a 34-point, 11-assist performance against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks in a tough 118-113 Nets loss.
Schröder could give the Warriors a reliable playmaker and scorer during non-Curry minutes, too.