The Significance of the Warriors' Trade for Dennis Schroeder's Arrival at the Right Moment
On Saturday, according to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Golden State Warriors have struck a deal to send De'Anthony Melton and three second-round draft picks to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Dennis Schroder and a second-round draft pick. The agreement can't be legally binding until Sunday, as Melton signed with the Warriors during the offseason, but it's expected to be finalized before Schroder joins the Warriors' practice next week, as reported by Anthony Slater of The Athletic.
The trade is expected to be confirmed by Monday at the latest, and there's a particular reason for the swift timing. When a team acquires a player via a trade exception, they can't aggregate his contract in another deal for the next two months. However, the NBA's new collective bargaining agreement includes a small exception for certain players.
If a player is traded before December 16 and the receiving team uses an exception to acquire him, his contract can be aggregated either the day before the trade deadline or the day of the trade deadline. If a player is traded after December 16, this aggregation opportunity is lost.
This news is beneficial for the Warriors, who have reportedly been searching for a star to pair with Stephen Curry this season. Charania noted that the Schroder trade "doesn't keep the Warriors outside of the big-game hunting" and that they remain "active in the hunt" for a star.
Jimmy Butler as a Potential Trade Target
Miami Heat swingman Jimmy Butler is the most likely candidate for such a move. Charania reported earlier this week that the Warriors are among the teams Butler would be open to if the Heat decide to trade him. Marc Stein and Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reported on Saturday that the Warriors are the "only team of the four most frequently mentioned as potential Butler suitors" with sufficient interest to potentially lead to trade talks.
However, a swap between the Warriors and Heat would not be straightforward. The Heat are currently over the first apron, meaning they can't take back more salary than they send out in a trade. After the Schroder deal, the Warriors are now approximately $330,000 below the first apron, allowing them to take back only a slightly larger salary than they send out.
Butler's $48.8 million salary this season makes it challenging, with Curry being the Warriors' highest-paid player at $55.8 million. Unless the Warriors are willing to include Draymond Green ($24.1 million) or Schroder's $13.0 million contract in a deal with Wiggins, they would have to take on Butler's salary.
If the Warriors opted to include Green and Wiggins in the deal, they would be close to matching Butler's salary, leaving room for haggling over small contracts and draft picks to balance the deal for both sides. The Heat's apron restrictions, however, would likely necessitate involving a third team to facilitate the trade.
Reviewing Past Trade Offers
Before Paul George signed with the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency this offseason, the Warriors were reportedly close to acquiring him in a trade. With the Sixers' injury struggles this season, it is possible that they might consider George as a trade option ahead of the deadline.
However, the Sixers are unlikely to cut ties with George this early. Although they are struggling with an 7-16 record, they still trail the Nets by only two games for the No. 10 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Their playoff chances may be uncertain, but they are not yet out of the running.
The Sixers suffered a pair of significant setbacks over the weekend, with star center Joel Embiid suffering a sinus fracture and Rookie of the Year front-runner Jared McCain sustaining a meniscus tear that will require surgery and cause him to miss an indefinite period. These injuries have left their championship aspirations in doubt, but the playoffs may still be a possibility. The Sixers may then reconsider their options, including George, as the trade deadline approaches.
Similar to how the Heat have moved past the initial playoff qualification threshold, so too have the Sixers, which means they're no longer able to accept more salary in trades than they're giving away. Fortunately, they currently hold one available roster slot, enabling them to structure a 2-for-1 or 3-for-2 trade without the necessity of cutting any players. Given the shared interest of the Sixers and Warriors in George, a potential discussion between the two teams prior to the trade deadline could be a logical move, considering the Warriors' expressed interest in George during the offseason.
Assuming the Schröder trade becomes validated by Monday, the Warriors will now have his $13 million contract on the table as a bargaining chip during the trade deadline, potentially luring in Butler, George, or another elite player. unlike Melton, who's been forced to sit out the season due to a torn ACL, Schröder still offers value on the court for both the Warriors at present and any team open to acquiring him before the deadline.
The Schröder trade will prove advantageous for the Warriors, especially in light of the new CBA clause that favors players who are traded before December 16th.
(Unless otherwise specified, all statistics courtesy of NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball Reference. All salary information sourced from Spotrac and salary-cap details from RealGM. Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook.)
The Schröder trade, if finalized before Monday, will provide the Warriors with an additional $13 million in salary flexibility, which could be used to pursue players like Jimmy Butler or Paul George before the NBA trade deadline. The new Collective Bargaining Agreement allows teams to aggregate a player's contract if they are traded before December 16th, creating a potential advantage for the Warriors. The Golden State Warriors are reportedly interested in Jimmy Butler, with the Heat being open to trading him due to their salary cap constraints, but a straight swap may not be straightforward due to Butler's high salary.
