Despite being one of the top competitors in the Western Conference, the Golden State Warriors front office understands how important the trade deadline is to winning championships. They have won four titles in the last ten years, backing up their knowledge and credibility in making a deep playoff push.
During the offseason, many fans assumed the departure of Klay Thompson would cause the Warriors to finish as a play-in tournament contender. In reality, the coaching staff figured out ways to win games with the talent they had.
Moreover, Golden State’s bench improved significantly with the addition of former Brooklyn Nets guard Dennis Schröder. Along with Schröder, they received a second-round pick. In return, they shipped defensive specialist De’Anthony Melton and three second-round picks to Brooklyn.
Trading for Dennis Schröder was a prominent step in the right direction for Golden State.
Off the bench, Dennis Schröder will break milestones for head coach Steve Kerr and the Golden State Warriors. He is the perfect backup to franchise superstar Stephen Curry, as he can check in and immediately create open shots around the perimeter.
In 23 games for the Nets, Schröder averaged 18.4 points and 6.6 assists while shooting 45.2% from the field. These numbers do not paint the full picture, as the six-foot-one guard was the focal point of Brooklyn’s offense. Without him, they would be much further down in the Eastern Conference Standings.
Conversely, Golden State traded away De’Anthony Melton, an exceptional role player, who will return next season due to ACL surgery. This was a justifiable move from Brooklyn, as Schröder is on an expiring contract.
That said, both teams made a crucial decision towards the betterment of their future. Brooklyn will now focus on player development, and Golden State will be looking to win their fifth title in ten years.
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