The Golden State Warriors missed the playoffs this season, which could lead to potential roster changes. In a proposed trade from Eric Pincus, the Warriors would make a massive three-team trade, which includes the Philadelphia 76ers and Portland Trail Blazers.
Pincus’s proposed deal involves the Warriors moving Andrew Wiggins and Kevon Looney, and acquiring Malcolm Brogdon and Robert Williams III.
76ers get:
- Wiggins (via Warriors)
- $1.1 million (via Trail Blazers)
Blazers get:
- Looney (via Warriors)
- No. 16 pick (via 76ers)
- $22.5 million trade exception (Wiggins)
- $4.4 million trade exception (Williams)
Warriors get:
- Brogdon
- Williams
“The Warriors may not have a perfect solution, which means taking on some risk. Best case, Williams is a still-young (27 before next season) big who is a noted defender with playoff experience at a reasonable price—a steal if he pans out,” Pincus wrote in his three-team trade proposal on April 24. “If not, his contract is movable as a 2025-26 expiring.
“Brogdon would replace Paul (almost 39), whose contract doesn’t fit Lacob’s financial picture. The veteran guard averaged 15.7 points per game while shooting 41.2 percent from three-point range on a terrible Blazers squad. Brogdon shot 44.4 percent from deep for the Boston Celtics the year prior. He has good size at 6’4″ and would fill out a backcourt with Brandin Podziemski, Moses Moody, Gary Payton II (assuming he opts in) and Thompson.”
How Malcolm Brogdon Would Help the Warriors
Brogdon, the 2022-23 Sixth Man of the Year Award winner, averaged 15.7 points per game for the Portland Trail Blazers. He’d bring another veteran to the Golden State Warriors but is much younger than the 38-year-old Chris Paul.
Brogdon, 31 years old, shot over 41% from three-point range for the second consecutive season. Brogdon shot 41.2% from three-point range on 5.1 attempts per game in 2023-24.
Despite his ability to score the basketball at a high level, Brogdon’s biggest impact would come on the defensive end. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr told reporters after the Warriors were eliminated by the Sacramento Kings in the Play-In Tournament that he struggled to find usable lineups with Paul and Stephen Curry on the floor due to size disadvantages.
“It’s a difficult situation for him that he handled beautifully,” Kerr said, according to Anthony Slater of The Athletic. “He’s always been the starting point guard for his team. But you look at our team and we’re pretty small. Even though he’s one of our best players, if we want to throw our best players out there — and he’s one of them — you start adding up Chris, Steph, Klay, it’s not the ideal roster for him.”
The 6-foot-4 Brogdon would give them a bigger guard to pair with Curry.
Robert Williams III Would Also Add Defense
This proposed deal from Pinucs is heavily focused on defense, as Williams was named to the All-Defensive second team in the 2021-22 season. The Golen State Warriors were middle of the pack defensively, ranking 15th in defensive rating.
An elite shot blocker, Williams has blocked over 1.2 shots per game in each season of his six-year professional career. His best year came when he made the All-Defensive team, averaging 2.2 blocks per game, but he followed that up with 1.4 and 1.2 blocks per game in the next two seasons.
