Warriors Trade Preview Less than One Month from the Deadline (Featuring AD, MPJ, Murphy & More)

January 8, 2026·54 min·4 clips

With less than a month until the trade deadline, the Warriors are weighing deals for Anthony Davis, Trey Murphy III, and Michael Porter Jr.

1. Golden State With Mates hosts preview the NBA trade deadline with Stevie Ray as the primary analyst, focusing on Jonathan Kuminga's impending trade eligibility and three potential Warriors upgrades. 2. The hosts are the regular Golden State With Mates pairing; Stevie Ray is identified as the primary trade analyst who has been publicly advocating for trading Draymond Green for an extended period. 3. The episode's thesis is that the Warriors' structural frontcourt deficiency is the root cause of their offensive and defensive failures, and that addressing it should be the priority over adding a wing scorer. 4. OKC's recent three-week losing streak — with Isaiah Hartenstein and Jalen Williams sidelined — opens the episode, with both hosts arguing it slightly lowers the ceiling on what the Warriors need to achieve to be a legitimate Finals contender. 5. Stevie argues that even at full strength, the Warriors match up reasonably well with OKC if they have Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler, and a legitimate third scoring option. 6. The Nikola Jokic injury is noted as the factor most likely to push the San Antonio Spurs to the West's second seed, creating a potential 2v7 first-round matchup that the Warriors — with a good trade — could compete in. 7. Stevie introduces the 2023 Memphis Grizzlies as a historical template: a guard-and-wing-heavy team looked elite until Steven Adams was injured, then collapsed against sub-.500 opponents, because the symptomatic effects of lacking interior depth are invisible until they aren't. 8. The Warriors' frontcourt rotation is described as Draymond as de facto center (refusing to play the four), Trace Jackson-Davis as backup center, and Al Horford as a third option — all severely undersized against playoff competition. 9. Stevie argues that the Warriors cannot currently quantify how much they are 'leaking oil' by running this small frontcourt because they have no baseline comparison from a real interior presence. 10. Anthony Davis is discussed at length: his Rockets game performance (dominant rebounding, opponents double-teaming him 18 feet from the basket) is contrasted with his Sacramento game performance (low motor, three turnovers). 11. Stevie reframes rim protection as deterrence rather than post battles, arguing that opponents no longer fear driving against Draymond — who frequently vacates the restricted area before contact — whereas Davis causes opponents to abort drives well outside the paint. 12. The Warriors' opponent two-point field goal percentage is cited at 52% (27th in the NBA), with fourth-quarter defence particularly cited as catastrophically poor — allowing 28-plus points per fourth quarter regularly. 13. The three realistic trades are identified: Anthony Davis (Kuminga plus Draymond plus possibly Buddy Hield for the Mavericks' salary needs); Michael Porter Jr. plus Nick Claxton (two first-round picks plus Kuminga plus Moody plus Buddy Hield); Trey Murphy III (two unprotected first-round picks plus Kuminga plus Buddy Hield). 14. Brett Siegel's Clutch Points report is cited: the asking price for Trey Murphy III separately is reportedly two unprotected first-round picks, which both hosts call a potential no-brainer if accurate. 15. Stevie argues that trading Kuminga alongside Buddy Hield and picks for Trey Murphy alone — without also acquiring a legitimate center — is a 'band-aid on a bleeding artery' unless Draymond is moved separately. 16. The host credits Stevie for early public advocacy of trading Draymond at a time when fans actively dismissed it, noting that the position has since become mainstream sports media discourse. 17. Both hosts speculate that Steph Curry would not actively oppose an Anthony Davis trade even given his personal loyalty to Draymond, because the arithmetic of his remaining championship window is undeniable. 18. The episode closes with Stevie expressing active pessimism about front office execution — he predicts the most likely outcome is a Nick Claxton acquisition via a three-team deal rather than any of the three major upgrades discussed. 19. The conversation is fast-paced and stat-heavy, with both hosts frequently interrupting each other to layer additional analytical context onto the same point. 20. Hardcore Warriors fans comfortable with advanced metrics and trade asset valuation will get the most out of this episode; casual fans wanting a simple preview will find it somewhat dense.

As heard by us

Warriors trade rumor discussion that keeps Jonathan Kuminga, Draymond Green, and the February 5 deadline in focus.

The discussion stays centered on Jonathan Kuminga trade rumors, with Anthony Davis, Trey Murphy III, and Michael Porter Jr. treated as possible pieces in the same deal conversation.

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Why you'd press play

You want to sort real Warriors trade targets from deadline noise.

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