Curry, Green, Kerr all say Warriors should not mortgage future for win-now trade

There was a time when it looked like Golden State’s offseason gambles would pay off — back before Thanksgiving when the Warriors started 12-3 and had people thinking letting Klay Thompson go, adding depth and leaning into their youth was the play. The Warriors are 7-17 since then and hit a low point in their season with an ugly loss to Toronto Monday night — one where their bottom 10 in the league offense disappeared down the stretch. If the postseason started today, the 19-20 Warriors wouldn’t even make the play-in.

That has led to calls from fans for the Warriors front office to make a trade — ideally a bold trade. Then, in the last few days Draymond Green, Stephen Curry and Steve Kerr — the guys who would benefit most from trading youth for more win-now guys — shot the idea down.

Here is what Green told Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports.

“The beautiful part about being in the space that we’re in is, Steve Kerr, Steph Curry and myself all disagree with mortgaging off the future of this organization, saying that we’re going for it right now, Bad teams do that. Bad organizations do that. We’re not neither one.”

Here is Curry echoing those thoughts Thursday night.

Finally, here is Kerr on the topic, speaking to Anthony Slater of The Athletic.

“We’re not giving in. But you have to be realistic organizationally about where you are. And you have to mind what’s coming ahead in the future. I probably won’t be around, but I would tell you, if this organization gave away the next six or seven drafts for a wild swing, that would be the most irresponsible thing that they could do.”

Three pieces of context need to go with these comments.

First, it’s weird to hear this talk from two of the league’s most competitive players—these guys want to win. Many players would be more selfish than these, but things are different in the Bay Area because Curry, Green, and Kerr understand point No. 2 on this list.

Second — and most importantly — these Warriors are not one player away. There is no silver bullet. The Warriors should ride out the Curry wave — the best era in Golden State basketball history — understanding there is a rebuild on the horizon. These Warriors should not send out picks or good young players just to land a player who can move them up to seventh in the standings — be patient. Draft well. Develop players. Do all the things that got this franchise Curry, Green and Thompson in the first place.

Finally, context matters — whether they should make a swing-for-the-fences trade depends on the trade. Should the Warriors send out Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga, Gary Payton II and more for 35-year-old Jimmy Butler? No. Nobody currently on the market is worth that kind of all-in move (if a younger player the caliber of Luka Doncic or Giannis Antetokounmpo ever became available, things would be different).

For now, make smaller moves, such as landing Dennis Schroder (which has not worked out as planned), but wait for the right big move to come. It will eventually.