Warriors Acquire Superstar in Fatnasty Trade

After an offseason in which the Golden State Warriors whiffed on trading for Utah Jazz All-Star Lauri Markkanen, the Warriors are stuck in the same spot from the past two seasons. Stephen Curry vs. the world is Golden State's current identity in the NBA's pecking order. A recent fantasy trade would significantly enhance the Warriors' championship success.

Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley suggested a trade that would catapult the Warriors up the Western Conference standings.

Warriors receive: Kawhi Leonard.

Clippers receive: Andrew Wiggins, Gary Payton II, Kevon Looney, Moses Moody, 2028 first-round pick (unprotected), 2030 first-round pick (protected 1-3 and 21-30), 2029 first-round swap.

One reason Golden State failed to trade for Markkanen was Mike Dunleavy Jr.'s insistence on not trading Brandin Podziemski and Jonathan Kuminga. In this proposed trade, the Warriors would keep their young talent and gain an older superstar, hoping to win one more championship in both superstars' twilight years.

While the Warriors would greatly benefit from such a trade, it's a difficult sell to the Los Angeles Clippers, especially to their fans.

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The Clippers debut the Intuit Dome in the 2024-25 season. While Clippers team governor Steve Ballmer boasts upgraded toilets and an overall modern arena compared to the Crypto.com Arenas, the shiny items don't compensate customers who pay high ticket prices for another first-round exit.

Furthermore, opening a new building rebuild in the debut season would come as a slap in the face to the franchise investors and the fans paying top dollar for a supposed contender. Ultimately, the Warriors will likely have to give up their prospects for a better player. Golden State can't have its cake and eat it, too.