The Golden State Warriors must make the necessary changes to position themselves for a championship-winning 2025-26 campaign.
The Golden State of Mind’s Marc Delucchi proposed a trade that would send an erratic guard to the Los Angeles Lakers for a 6-foot-8 forward.
“If the Lakers can land their rim-running center in free agency, a wing with (Buddy) Hield’s shooting capabilities would be an excellent pairing with Luka (Doncic) and LeBron (James),” Marc Delucchi wrote Friday.
“Hield’s addition would also make it easier for the Lakers to part with Austin Reaves in a separate trade. Moreover, Los Angeles would clearly love to unload (Jarred) Vanderbilt’s contract from their books.”
“If the Lakers were willing to package an unprotected (or heavily unprotected) 2031 first-round pick to the Warriors for Hield, Golden State might be open to it. Hield is an excellent fit with the Warriors and would almost certainly not recoup a first-round pick on his own on the trade market.”
“He is going to be 33 before the end of the year and has two more guaranteed seasons after 2025-26. Vanderbilt is extremely limited offensively but remains a 26-year-old elite athlete who is dynamic defensively.”
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Vanderbilt’s NBA career has been disappointing, to say the least.
From competing with four teams in seven seasons, showing no signs of expanding his offensive repertoire, and experiencing significant injuries, the Kentucky product has had a rough go of it in the big leagues.
Vanderbilt averaged 4.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per game in only 36 contests with the Lakers this season, shooting 48.8% from the field and 28.1% from three-point land.
Still, the 26-year-old’s defensive versatility (ability to contain guards on the perimeter and hold his own as a low-post defender) could earn him a solid role with the Warriors in Delucchi’s hypothetical trade idea.
Hield had his moments with the Dubs this season, shooting 50% from deep in October and 41.4% in November. However, his unpredictability flaw (specifically from beyond the arc) makes him an ideal primary trade bait asset this summer.
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