The Golden State Warriors would be heading into the 2021 offseason with the goal of making major upgrades on their roster. The Warriors may be expected to have their trio of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green in the 2021-22 NBA season, but they obviously still need more star power on their roster in order to have a realistic chance of fully dominating the Western Conference and winning the NBA championship title.
Though they are currently buried deep in the luxury tax hell, the Warriors have a plethora of trade assets that they could use to acquire quality players on the trade market this summer.
Potential Trade Target In 2021 Offseason – Myles Turner
According to Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report, one of the most realistic trade targets for the Warriors this summer is Myles Turner of the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers may not be actively trading Turner right now, but they are highly likely to explore the possibility of moving him if they are presented with an intriguing offer.
Turner may have somehow shown better chemistry with Domantas Sabonis this season, but rumors continue to swirl around his future in Indiana. Instead of keeping their twin towers, most people believe that the Pacers are better off trading Turner for assets that would help them build a more competitive around Sabonis.
What The Warriors Could Offer For Myles Turner
In his article, Buckley came up with a hypothetical trade idea that would enable the Warriors to acquire Turner from the Pacers this summer. In the proposed trade scenario, the Warriors would be sending a package that includes Kelly Oubre Jr. and the No. 14 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft to the Pacers in exchange for Turner.
Before they could push through with the trade, the Warriors would first need to convince Oubre Jr. to agree to a sign-and-trade deal to Indiana.
Warriors Get A Win-Now Center
Trading for Turner would make a lot of sense for the Warriors, especially if they are serious about helping Curry, Thompson, and Green contend for the NBA championship title in the 2021-22 NBA season. While waiting for James Wiseman to develop into an All-Star, Turner would give the Warriors a win-now center who could help them score, rebound, protect the rim, and space the floor.
This season, the 25-year-old big man averaged 12.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 3.4 blocks while shooting 47.7 percent from the field and 33.5 percent from beyond the arc, per ESPN. With his ability to knock down three-pointers and play unselfish basketball, he wouldn’t have a hard time familiarizing himself with Coach Steve Kerr’s system.
Why The Pacers Would Make The Trade
If the trade becomes a reality, it would also be beneficial for the Pacers. As Buckley noted, the suggested deal would help them address the logjam in their frontcourt and give them a more balanced roster next season.
“As for the Pacers, the exchange would grant them better roster balance by clearing the frontcourt and adding another wing defender to the mix with Kelly Oubre Jr. Throw in the 14th pick—which would give Indy back-to-back picks to close out the lottery—and the Pacers would have avenues to more prospects or trade chips to cash in at a later date.”
