The Golden State Warriors aren’t finished making moves and are expected to make another “significant” deal during the 2024-25 season, as reported by The Athletic’s Anthony Slater. In his season predictions, Slater noted that the Warriors still face the same roster depth issues as last season, making a trade necessary.
Slater suggested the Warriors could pursue a “consolidation trade” by offloading rotation players, draft picks and young talent to strengthen their roster.
Earlier this summer, the Warriors traded fan-favorite sharpshooter Klay Thompson in a historic six-team deal, the first in NBA history, which brought in Kyle Anderson and Buddy Hield. They also added De’Anthony Melton and Lindy Waters III.
“They’ll make a significant trade: In a slightly upgraded form, the Warriors have the same problem as a season ago,” Slater reported.
“I imagine they’ll win enough games to stay in the playoff mix, tick off a couple of capable players who are buried in the rotation and then, once January or February nears, find a consolidation trade that better balances the roster and rotation.”
Under new GM Mike Dunleavy Jr., the Warriors front office has shown a willingness to make tough decisions, including parting ways with beloved players like Thompson, to maintain flexibility.
“They have the first-rounders, flexible contracts and young talent to get a deal done. They say they’ll be aggressive,” Slater said.
A name to watch, according to Slater, is Jonathan Kuminga.
“Another aspect to watch is Jonathan Kuminga’s contract talks. If he extends in October, collective bargaining agreement rules make him nearly impossible to trade until next summer. If he doesn’t (my current guess), he remains an obvious and appealing trade piece.”
What Steph Curry thinks of the Warriors’ chances this season
During media day, Steph Curry emphasized that the Warriors are prepared to be a “relevant” team early on but will realistically evaluate their position as the season progresses.
“We’re in that position where we can be a relevant team early, give ourselves a chance to compete, then assess where we are because that’s what every team has to go through,” Curry said.
This offseason, Curry signed a $62.6 million extension, keeping him with the Warriors through the 2026-27 season. He’s guaranteed $55.8 million for the upcoming season, $59.6 million for 2025-26, and $62.6 million — the maximum allowed by league rules — for 2026-27.
By the end of that contract, Curry’s on-court earnings will total around $532 million, second only to LeBron James’ $580 million in NBA salary.
