Warriors, Warriors trade, Warriors trade deadline, Trey Murphy III
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Head coach Steve Kerr (L) and governor Joe Lacob of the Golden State Warriors look on during a game between the Warriors and the San Antonio Spurs during the 2022 NBA Summer League at the Thomas Mack Center on July 10, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The Golden State Warriors have reportedly not given up on their pursuit of Trey Murphy III, even as the New Orleans Pelicans signal to the league that their 3-and-D wing is not available ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline.
Per insider Evan Sidery, the Warriors’ interest in Murphy has only intensified since Jimmy Butler III suffered a season-ending ACL injury on MLK Day.
“The Warriors continue to covet Trey Murphy III as their dream trade deadline target,” Sidery reported via X.
“Even after Jimmy Butler’s torn ACL, Golden State would love to add Murphy into their core.”
“Golden State can offer the Pelicans Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski and multiple 1st-round picks.”
Pelicans Set High Asking Price
ClutchPoints’ Brett Siegel also reported on Thursday that the Warriors have “made several calls” to the Pelicans about Murphy this season, and he remains their “dream scenario” outside of landing a superstar player like Giannis Antetokounmpo.
“…The Pelicans have fielded calls for Murphy from multiple teams, which has led many to believe they simply haven’t received their asking price of multiple first-round picks and a young player or two,” Siegel wrote.
“The Warriors have a full arsenal of draft picks that could be utilized for a player like Murphy, and Dunleavy even alluded to such a decision when addressing whether Golden State would sacrifice such valuable assets.”
Warriors Trade Deadline Plans
Further to Siegel’s point, Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy made it clear after Butler’s injury that the franchise would be open to moving their draft assets for an “impactful” player.
“I think our picks always will be and have been in play,” he said.
“To give up our picks, it’s got to be meaningful to get something back. We’re looking at everything,” Dunleavy stated. “I think if we’re talking about trading draft picks that will be going out when Steph isn’t here, it’s going to have to be a player that we think will be here when those picks are going out. And that player is going to have to be pretty impactful.
“If there is a great player to be had, we got everything in the war chest that we’d be willing to use.”
An earlier report from Siegel suggested that the Warriors would be willing to part with two first-rounders for Murphy, but won’t offer such a haul for Brooklyn Nets star Michael Porter Jr., another player they’ve been strongly linked to.
The Warriors will be armed with up to four tradeable first-rounders if they hold onto all their assets through the Feb. 5 trade deadline. With Antetokounmpo possibly becoming available this offseason, the Warriors front office surely has a lot to ponder.
Trey Murphy, on a cap-friendly average salary of $28M through 2028-29, is tallying a career-high 22.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 3.6 assists on 49/38/89 shooting splits. Besides being one of the best sharpshooting wings in the league, he has made huge strides on the defensive end in recent years, emerging as an elite 3-and-D wing.