BREAKING NEWS: Windhorst: Warriors Are Candidate to Make ‘Big Trade’ to Build Around Stephen Curry.giang

The Golden State Warriors are the “biggest candidate” in the NBA “to make a big trade,” according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.

Appearing Thursday on First Take, Windhorst cited Golden State’s pursuit of LeBron James prior to the 2024 trade deadline along with Paul George and Lauri Markkanen in the offseason.

“This is a team that’s got an itchy trigger finger trying to make a big deal,” he said.

The Warriors’ 7-1 start can be read one of two ways when it comes to contemplating a blockbuster trade. They might already have the pieces to be a championship contender, which would reduce the need for a major reshuffle. Others will argue the team’s overachievement makes it the exact right time to weigh something bold.

On Markkanen, for example, The Athletic’s Anthony Slater wrote in October that the Warriors “didn’t like the price considering the return on investment.” Without George also in tow, the front office felt Markkanen alone wasn’t enough to create a title-level ceiling.

The mindset of general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. might change if Golden State is first or second in the Western Conference closer to the trade deadline. That could be the push necessary for Dunleavy to part with Brandin Podziemski or Jonathan Kuminga, who are widely considered the two best trade assets on the roster.

Neither player is performing well so far. Podziemski is shooting just 18.2 percent from beyond the arc, while Kuminga has already been moved to the second unit after opening the season as a starter. Kuminga’s pending free agency in the summer will be a factor for prospective suitors, too.

Still, a combination of one of those two plus draft capital and perhaps Andrew Wiggins as salary filler could be enticing to rival teams. The Warriors clearly might be motivated to act if they sense an opportunity.