The Golden State Warriors have needs everywhere on the roster. Luckily they have a lottery pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, which is viewed by most evaluators as the deepest class in years. With so many holes on the roster, and a clear desire to get younger and more athletic, it’s worth wondering if the Warriors front office could land a second first-round pick. It may not be likely, but there are several potential paths to a trade that Golden State could pursue. Here’s a breakdown of their options:
1.
Trading future pick(s) to the Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder currently have the 12th and 17th picks in this year’s draft. However, the deepest team in the league has been aggressively shopping their picks, trying to move up in the draft. In the event they can’t trade up, the Thunder are expected to trade the 17th pick for the best future picks they’re offered. Warriors future picks remain among the most valuable in the league, given the age of the team’s core.
While it would frustrate Warriors fans if the front office finally traded a lightly (or fully unprotected) 2032 first-round pick for an unproven player, it would fit the current state of the franchise. The Dubs could take advantage of the incredible guard depth of this class, picking their favorite wing or big with the first pick before landing their favorite guard remaining on the board at 17. Meanwhile, OKC would add a highly valuable future first-round pick to the team’s coffers.
2. Trading Brandin Podziemski
I have been quite surprised by how little speculation has surrounded Brandin Podziemski so far this offseason. While he is among the Warriors best players, and easily their best player under the age of 30, he’s also slated to be a restricted free agent after next season and could command an extension paying $20-$25 million per year.
Given Golden State’s limited avenues to improve the roster, the depth of guards in this year’s draft class, and a quietly deep free agent crop of guards that could be in the non-taxpayer mid-level exception price range (Quentin Grimes, Ayo Dosunmo, Coby White, Benedict Mathurin, Landry Shamet, Keon Ellis, Norm Powell, Anfernee Simons, Collin Sexton, CJ McCollum, and De’Anthony Melton), the Warriors could be in position to improve their depth by trading Podziemski for another first-round pick, giving Will Richard an expanded role, and adding a proven guard in free agency.
It’s hard to know the best pick the Warriors could land for Podz. He seems like a Miami Heat kind of player and who knows what direction they go in if they lose the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes with the 13th overall pick. The Atlanta Hawks are also an interesting team to watch since their president of basketball operations Onsi Saleh was in the Warriors front office when they selected Podziemski.
The Hawks have the Nos. 8 and 23 picks in the draft, with their most immediate needs at center (to add size next to Onyeka Okongwu) and to find a long-term solution at point guard. The Hawks have been tied to Michigan center Aday Mara at the eighth pick, but consensus boards agree that would be a bit of a reach given the guard talent available. Would the Hawks trade Nos. 8 and 23 to the Warriors for Podziemski and No. 11?
Podziemski would become the Hawks third guard behind McCollum (assuming he re-signs) and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, while Atlanta could take their favorite big remaining on the board at No. 11 (probably Mara, Morez Johnson, or Hannes Steinbach). Golden State would likely be in position to choose among the best remaining guards, their favorite big, or Yaxel Lendeborg with the eighth pick before adding another prospect at No. 23.
In a simpler player-for-pick swap scenario, Podziemski would fit on all the teams currently picking from 16-21 in the draft, although the Spurs and Thunder would likely only be interested if they are trading current members of their backcourt depth in other deals. Analytically-inclined front offices with the Grizzlies (16) and Hornets (14, 18) could be intrigued by flipping a mid-round first for a proven combo guard.
The Raptors (19) and Pistons (21) seem like the strongest candidates for this kind of deal, however. Both teams entered contender mode this season and struggled in the playoffs because of limited backcourt depth. They should have an opportunity to pick from the second or third-tier of guard prospects (like Ebuka Okorie, Christian Anderson, and Bennett Stirtz) with their first-round pick, but that’s a riskier proposition for a team entering a win-now phase. For the Pistons, who already have Cade Cunningham, Podziemski’s proven ability to play off-ball would make him a seemingly ideal fit.
3. Trading Moses Moody for a bad contract
With Jimmy Butler III and Moses Moody both likely sidelined through the All-Star break, the Warriors front office has a massive team-building challenge in front of them. If they don’t trade one of Butler or Moody, they are effectively punting on nearly $70 million of payroll and two roster spots for the first half of the season. Since neither are on particularly bad contracts, however — Butler is on an expiring max-deal, while Moody has a player option after next season leaving him with just under $26 million in total guarantees — the Warriors should be able to move either one for an underwater contract in return.
While it’s hard to know which teams would be willing to move a late first-round pick to unload a bad contract for Moody, Jakob Poetl (Raptors, 19), Christian Braun (Nuggets, 26), Patrick Williams (Bulls, 15), Klay Thompson (Mavericks, 30), and Caleb Martin (Mavericks, 30) all seem like viable candidates. Klay returning to the Bay Area would be the most storybook scenario, but acquiring the 30th pick and Martin from the Mavericks for Moody seems like the most likely deal in this category.
Martin’s playing time significantly declined last season in Dallas, averaging career-lows in points (3.9) and minutes (14.8) per game. While Moody is guaranteed slightly more money over the next two seasons and will be unavailable to start next season, his age and skillset are far better fits on Cooper Flagg’s timeline. Given Moody’s proven history as a 3-and-D wing, the Mavericks might be willing to give up the last pick of the first round to swap one of their worst contracts for some younger upside.
Martin wouldn’t fix the Warriors, but he would at least give them a legitimate healthy small forward on their roster. While Golden State would hope a lottery-level talent fell to the end of the first round, they would be in position take a riskier upside swing (e.g., Chris Cenac Jr., Jayden Quantaince, Allen Graves, Baba Miller, or Trevon Brazile) or a prospect better positioned to more quickly be a solid role player (e.g., Joshua Jefferson, Richie Saunders, Henri Veesaar, Alex Karaban, Isaiah Evans, or Bruce Thornton).
(While I’m talking about Moody, I’ll also mention Saleh’s Hawks connection to ponder if Moody and a future pick could go to Atlanta for No. 23 and former first-overall pick Zaccharie Risacher)
4. Trading future pick(s) to the Charlotte Hornets
While the Thunder have gotten far more attention trying to consolidate two top-20 picks, the Hornets (who currently sit at 14 and 18) are in a similar situation and have been reportedly trying to consolidate their picks. Charlotte, like Oklahoma City, presumably hopes to move into the top-10, but if a prospect they covet falls to the Warriors at 11, they may be willing to part with for 14 and 18 for 11 and a future first.
5. Trading for Joel Embiid
The Warriors want to acquire some elite talent, but are extremely hesitant to trade a bunch of picks for anyone . So, what about trading Butler for a player who has been undeniably elite when on the court, but also may have the least team-friendly contract in the sport?
Instead of re-signing Kristaps Porziņģis and gambling on his health, what about calling the 76ers about a Butler for Joel Embiid trade? The Sixers have the 22nd overall pick in this year’s draft and one first-rounder in 2027-33. Philly may simply be unwilling to trade a player as popular as Embiid, but both teams should be open to a deal that sends Butler (and his expiring contract) to the Sixers for Embiid, the 22nd overall pick, and a future first.
The Warriors could simply move forward with Embiid as the team’s big swing of the offseason, adding prospects at Nos. 11 and 22 before trying to work out a sign-and-trade for Porziņģis and/or maximizing the non-taxpayer mid-level exception in free agency to build the roster. Would Embiid be enough to entice LeBron James to join Steph Curry and Draymond in Golden State?
However, a deal like that would also make it easier for the Warriors to make a run at New Orleans Pelicans wing Trey Murphy III. New Orleans has reportedly been listening to offers for Murphy more than previously, and is trying to get into the lottery. Golden State could package the future first they acquired from Philly with the 11th pick and a future first of their own to give the Pelicans the top-20 selection and the three first-round picks they reportedly covet for Murphy. Green would be the easily salary-matching piece, but the Warriors could use Moody instead to match salaries in a three-team deal.
