From dominating the last five seasons before the 2019-20 edition, the Golden State Warriors saw their fortunes crashed in the last campaign. Without Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson, and Stephen Curry, the Dubs exited early and picked up but 15 wins. The team, of course, is expected to bounce back big.
The first order of business is for the Bay Area team to lure in new talents to help with the cause. The never-ending speculations pointed to Giannis Antetokounmpo as the next superstar to join up with the Splash Brothers but ESPN's Brian Windhorst is pointing to Bradley Beal as the more realistic trade target.
First off, Windhorst suggested that before making their move, the Warriors must check if the Washington Wizards star is open to moving out. The mission can only start to roll if Beal will be actively involved in the deal. That should mean the shooting guard will need to initiate the transfer negotiations.
If the Warriors can attract Beal on a possible taste of life in GSW, head coach Steve Kerr can start preparing for the pieces to offer that will make Washington listen with intent.
"The trade there is pretty simple ... Andrew Wiggins is involved from a salary standpoint. And then it would be the No. 2 pick in this year's draft," Fadeaway World reported Windhorst as saying.
The acquisition is certainly a boost for Kerr's squad. In Beal, the Warriors are getting a player that is part of the NBA's elite circle. He is considered as among the Top 15 stars in the league and his performance last season only affirmed his increasingly rising status.
And the Warriors ought to take note that Beal's scoring prowess is so impressive that he is the subject of trade considerations by big NBA teams. Reports said the Wizard's cornerstone player is on the radar of the rebuilding New York Knicks.
The Los Angeles Lakers are thought to be toying with the idea of trading for Beal, which is unsurprising as the team is said to be hunting for the third star to work with LeBron James and Anthony Davis. The pressure is on for the Lakers to do a repeat and having Beal around will make the mission quite possible.
So the arguments are solid for the Warriors to explore a trade for Beal but signing him has a downside too. According to Golden State of Mind, the 27-year-old is not exactly a gem in the defensive area and it could turn out liability for the Bay Area crew.
Sure, Beal was making at least 30 points per game with the Wizards but his move to the Warriors will not guarantee the same showing. The Warriors scoring duties are heavily reliant on Curry and Thompson so Beal's production will likely take a slight hit.
Yet in terms of looking ahead, Beal could be the Warriors' future since the core talents are not getting any younger. In other words, the star will surely serve a purpose, which is the organization's long-term investment.
