Golden State Warriors are looking to get back in the NBA Title mix after a disappointing and injury-riddled 2019/20 season. One of the ways to do so is trading for an impactful player, something that the organization is reportedly already working on.
During his recent appearance on The Jump, ESPN’s Nick Friedell reported that the Warriors identified Phoenix Suns’ wing Kelly Oubre Jr. as one of their preferred targets this offseason. According to Friedell, Golden State believes that Oubre has the making of a complementary piece for its stars Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green.
Oubre had a great campaign last season, posting career-highs all across the board, including 18.7 points and 6.4 rebounds. He also established himself as a capable defender, something that Golden State highly appreciates.
It is unclear how much it would take for Warriors to land Kelly Oubre or whether Phoenix is even interested in selling.
Oubre is currently on an affordable contract that pays him $14.4 million a year, which is a bargain considering his output. However, the 24-year-old forward is heading towards free agency after the 2020/21 season and is most likely to ask for a significant pay rise. If Suns don’t intend to give him one, maybe dealing with Golden State isn’t such a bad idea.
There is no doubt that the Warriors have the draft assets to make the deal happen while also holding a $17.2 million trade exception from last season’s Andre Iguodala trade. It only remains to be seen how high they are willing to go in order to get their man.
