The Warriors made the playoffs as they wished, but because they were on the last train and ranked sixth in the West, no one would have higher expectations for them in this position, and very few teams in the second half of history can win the championship, let alone this year's league powerhouses.
But Curry is 35 years old, and even if he stays well, after a few years, his form will inevitably decline. At the same time, Clay, who has been greatly injured, no one knows when he will suddenly lose his state. Therefore, the Warriors should seize the window of the past few years and increase their efforts to improve the strength of the roster. The US media FW suggested that the Warriors and Pelicans discuss a trade, and gave a Zion 1-for-5 plan: the Warriors reorganized the Big Four to rush to the championship, and the Pelicans opened a new era
The potential plan: the Warriors send Dream Green, Kuminga, Payton Jr., Moody, a 2023 first-round pick and get the Pelicans' Zion
This plan is a big gamble for the Warriors, because in the past few seasons, Zion's attendance rate has not been high, playing 24, 61, 0, and 29 games in 4 years. But because of this, Zion's trade value plummeted, and the Warriors could get him without sending so many draft picks. Zion himself also prefers to play for the big ball market so that he can maximize his own business value.
This season, Zion played only 29 games to be selected as an All-Star starter, because the strength is really too strong, averaging 26 points, 7 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.1 steals per game, shooting more than 60%, under his leadership, the Pelicans once rushed to the first place in the West. It can be seen that Zion's ceiling is extremely high, and he and Curry will form one of the strongest inside and outside combinations in history. The Warriors' team doctor is relatively good, Klay can still find his form after a big injury, Curry is 35 years old and is still doing well, I believe Zion can get better care and improve his attendance with the Warriors.
If this plan is completed, the Warriors will form the starting lineup: Curry + Klay + Wiggins + Zion + Looney, the forward is a double player, one offensive and one defense, extremely talented, can put extreme pressure on any opponent. The backcourt of Curry and Klay, the strength is originally at the historical level, and now there is an average of 20 points per game on the bench, 200+ three-point points in the season, and the projection ability is directly exploded. Depending on the opponent, the Warriors can also consider whether to start on Looney or on Poole. The new Death Five squad will be a nightmare for any opponent.
The Pelicans should build around Ingram, who led the team to the playoffs last season and returned this season to help the Pelicans return to the playoffs with more guaranteed attendance. Green will bring experience and top-level defense to the Pelicans' young team, and Varan on the inside can focus more on scoring. Payton Jr.'s defensive function has long been recognized, and he is definitely a member of the Pelicans' rotation. Kuminga and Moody, both 2021 lottery picks, are only 20 years old, have great nurturing value, and are in line with the Pelicans' current main age structure.
Losing Zion is a shame, of course, because it would lower the Pelicans' ceiling, but not every team will be lucky enough to win the championship, and if the Pelicans lower their goals and build a long-term playoff powerhouse, this deal can help them achieve it.