Latest Trade: Warriors added Defensive Phenom in Controversial Challenge-Trade Pitch

In the Golden State Warriors’ double-overtime thriller against the Los Angeles Lakers, Draymond Green was a dominant +31 in 46 for the Dubs in a game they lost by one point. That means in the 12 minutes he was off of the court, the Warriors were outscored by 32 points. Kevon Looney was a crushing -14 in only five minutes.

It was more of the same against the Philadelphia 76ers, with Draymond Green +18 in a 12-point win, and all three of Dario Saric, Kevon Looney and Trayce Jackson-Davis posting negative plus/minus marks for the game. The Warriors have a successful defensive infrastructure if, and only if, Draymond Green is on the court.

Draymond Green also happens to be turning 34-years-old next month, is just 6’6″ and is a candidate to be suspended with his next limb spasm. The Warriors have to look at options to improve their interior defense, both this season and moving forward. Trayce Jackson-Davis might be that answer, but he’s certainly not yet ready for a large role this year as a second-round rookie, no matter the flashes he has shown.

What if the Warriors could add not simply a solid post defender, but a generational one? What if they could bring onto the roster one of the best defensive players in the league, one who also happens to be just 22-years-old? A player who could fill a role now and grow into a building block over the next few seasons?

Let’s look at a potential trade the Warriors could consider to bring in a defensive difference-maker and ask whether or not it makes sense for Golden State.

While the Golden State Warriors spent January riding an emotional roller coaster, the Cleveland Cavaliers spent it clobbering opponents. The Cavs have won 12 of their last 13 games, including an eight-game winning streak in the center of the month. They have risen from a shaky start to a Top-4 seed in the Eastern Conference.

What’s all the more impressive about that run is that the Cavs have done all of that winning without two of their key players: Darius Garland, who missed six weeks with a fractured jaw, and Evan Mobley, who missed six weeks due to knee surgery. In particular, the offense took flight with a shooter at power forward instead of Mobley.

The Cavaliers may try to shoehorn Mobley back into the starting lineup and hope his greater talent carries them further than a superior fit would. It’s also possible that they recognize playing two non-shooting bigs is untenable in the modern NBA and begin to canvas the league for trade partners in a potential Evan Mobley trade.

If the Cavaliers decide that they are open to moving Mobley, the Golden State Warriors should be a team that engages them in trade discussions. Here’s what such an offer could look like:

The Cleveland Cavaliers would land Jonathan Kuminga, an extremely gifted and athletic young forward who can give the Cavs more frontcourt scoring pop and a reasonable level of shooting. They also get Kevon Looney to serve as Jarrett Allen’s primary backup, and the only pick in the deal heads their way in our trade construction.

The Cavaliers would have a more diverse lineup and more spacing around Jarrett Allen. What about the Warriors; would they make this deal?

The Golden State Warriors could absolutely use a player like Evan Mobley. At just 22-years-old he is already one of the five or ten best defenders in the entire world, able to defend any area of the court and switch seamlessly between defensive approaches. He finished as a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year last season and, were he not to suffer a midseason knee injury, would likely be in contention once again.

Mobley also seems like an ideal fit in a Steve Kerr offense, able to sprout up from the elbows or 3-point line. He is a solid passer, he is an absolutely elite rim blocker, and his work ethic is contagious. He is the exact kind of player the Warriors should love to add.

What’s the issue, then? Well, trading for a defensive difference-maker makes a lot of sense, but moving on from Jonathan Kuminga takes away the second most consistent offensive weapon, the player most likely to rack up points while running the court and proving his value. Trading Mobley may boost the defense, but it’s likely to depress the offense.

Mobley is a generational talent, but his redundancy with the rest of the roster has led us to consider whether a trade may work. This is an intriguing one, and a player like Mobley may be harder to find than one like Kuminga, Even so, he has begun to build something in Golden State, and the Warriors are very interested in keeping Kuminga and seeing what they can build together. They likely turn this deal down.