The Golden State Warriors had a disappointing 2023-24 season as they finished as the 10th seed in the Western Conference with a record of 46-36. This was only the third time in the last 12 seasons in which the Warriors missed out on the playoffs.

With most of the Warriors’ remaining championship core exiting their primes, major changes need to be made this offseason.

Here are five moves the Warriors could make to improve their championship chances for next year.

5 Trade for Paul George

The Warriors add a perennial All-Star to pair with Stephen Curry

Trade Breakdown:

The Los Angeles Clippers are in an odd position right now when it comes to Paul George‘s impending free agency.

It has been reported by multiple sources that George is looking for a four-year max deal. The Clippers, however, are not interested in giving George the full max as they believe they can sign George to a shorter three-year deal at just below the max, similar to their deal that was recently made with Kawhi Leonard.

The Clippers don’t believe George will leave and are trying to call his “bluff” that he will leave LA; however, it is very possible this is not a bluff. George is certainly still deserving of one more max contract, and he could end up getting it on the open market.

If George is set on leaving LA, he very well could want to play alongside Stephen Curry in Golden State. Since the Warriors don’t have the cap space to sign him outright, George would have to inform the Clippers that he wants out and demand a trade.

In this scenario, George would have to accept his player option instead of declining it to become a free agent. This would be very similar to what James Harden did in free agency last year when he accepted his option and demanded a trade from the Philadelphia 76ers to the Clippers.

George could threaten to leave LA and join the 76ers if LA doesn’t trade him to Golden State. The Clippers would have no choice but to comply because it is better to get some assets in the deal rather than none.

The Clippers would end up with multiple first-round picks in this deal as well as two players in Chris Paul and Andrew Wiggins who can both be important pieces to a contending team.

On the Warriors’ side, this trade gives Golden State another All-Star to pair with Curry. Pairing another All-Star with Curry would do wonders for the Warriors’ success, as the last time Curry had another All-Star teammate was the year they won the championship in 2022.

Both Wiggins and Draymond Green were named to the All-Star team that year. Trading two future first-round picks with minimal protections may be risky, but the upside of pairing Curry with a player of George’s prowess would end up being worth it.

There is no clear favorite to come out of the Western Conference next season, especially if the Denver Nuggets end up losing Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, thus the Warriors should take advantage of this opportunity and go all in.

If the Warriors were able to complete this trade and re-sign Klay Thompson, they would certainly be one of the many contenders in the West.

4 Sign and Trade for DeMar DeRozan

Warriors go all in on the former All-Star

Trade Breakdown:

DeMar DeRozan is about to enter his 16th NBA season and has shown no signs of slowing down. DeRozan has proven to be a reliable wing scorer and that is exactly what the Warriors could use to pair with Curry.

This is especially true given the recent decline in Thompson’s play. DeRozan would provide the Warriors with elite mid-range scoring and is one of the best in the league at attacking the basket. The Warriors have not had a player with DeRozan’s capabilities since Andre Iguodala left Golden State.

Adding a player with DeRozan’s s𝓀𝒾𝓁𝓁 set to this roster would help not only through just DeRozan, but it should allow Curry to have more open looks from three.

For the Chicago Bulls, one of the best parts of the trade is that it provides them with an unprotected pick three years from now, which could have solid value if this Warriors team falls apart. The Bulls would also be adding Wiggins to their roster, who just two seasons ago was named to an All-Star team.

While it is highly unlikely that Wiggins will be good enough to have another All-Star appearance under his belt, he is still a valuable player who could help some of the young guys in Chicago grow, as well as be a potential piece that Chicago could trade for more assets down the line.

This trade would lead Chicago one step closer to the rebuild they should have started years ago, and it would allow the team to get some assets back for DeRozan instead of losing him for nothing.

3 Trade for Walker Kessler

The Warriors would get a solid interior defender

Trade Breakdown:

The Warriors were a sub-par defensive team last season, in large part due to their lack of an interior defender. Walker Kessler would be a game changer for this Golden State team as Kessler is one of the premier rim protectors and shot blockers in the NBA.

The Warriors ranked 15th in defensive rating last season, 23rd in blocked shots, and 20th in opponent points off rebounds. These are all areas in which Kessler could improve the team and allow the Warriors to get back in the playoff race next season.

Even with Kessler’s defensive abilities, the Utah Jazz haven’t been too high on the second-year player as he just averaged fewer than 25 minutes per game for the second straight season. This move would allow the Jazz to sit out paying Kessler a more lucrative contract a few years from now and instead allow Utah to compile more draft assets.

The Jazz would also be buying extremely low and taking a flier on Kevon Looney, hoping that he could potentially return to who he was during the Warriors’ championship run.

2 Trade for Dorian Finney-Smith and Cam Johnson

Warriors strengthen their core with two 3-and-D players

Trade Breakdown:

The Warriors had one of the best scoring benches in the league last season, with their bench averaging a total of 42.6 points per game, which ranked third in the association. This move would double down on one of the few things that the Warriors excelled in last season.

Cam Johnson would likely replace Wiggins in the starting lineup, but a potential bench that would include Brandin Podziemski, Wiggins, Dorian-Finney Smith, Jonathan Kuminga and Day’Ron Sharpe would certainly be one of, if not the best, in the NBA.

Adding more wings who are great perimeter shooters as well as solid wing defenders might be exactly what Golden State needs for next year.

As for the Brooklyn Nets, it is clear that this team is changing paths and going into a full rebuild mode as it just sent Mikal Bridges to New York for a whopping five first-round picks. After pulling the trigger on that trade, the next logical move would be to trade the remaining win-now players in a package deal to obtain more draft picks.

This trade would give the Nets two more first-round picks as well as potentially swapping for a better pick in 2028. It would also give the Nets a chance to get off of two of their bigger contracts, which would give them more cap space to maneuver with for the 2025 free-agent class.

Both players the Nets would be receiving in this trade would only have one year on their contract, which is why Brooklyn would be granted a large amount of cap space by 2025.

If this trade were to be completed, it is also very likely that the Nets would either release Paul or try to find another suitor on the trade market as he does not fit the direction this Brooklyn team intends to take.

1 Trade for Lauri Markkanen

The Warriors add an elite three-point shooting All-Star to their core

Trade Breakdown:

The Warriors need to make a major move if they want to still compete in the playoffs and this trade would be just that.

Lauri Markkanen is one of the most coveted players on the trade block, and the Warriors would need to send a package of at least one up-and-coming young player and multiple first-round picks.

While losing Kuminga and Wiggins would be tough blows, the addition of Markkanen would give the starting lineup an offensive boost that this Warriors team so desperately needs.

The Jazz are in an in-between area where they are good enough to not be at the bottom of the standings but not good enough to secure a playoff spot either. The Jazz need to hit the reset button and add more future draft capital and a young player with potential.

Markkanen doesn’t quite fit the Jazz timeline, and this trade promotes a rebuild that is better suited for the franchise down the line. Kuminga could be the perfect young piece to lead this Jazz team once Utah has drafted more players with many future picks.