It is an understatement to say that the Warriors’ current 18-22 record isn’t what they envisioned. Heading into the 2023-2024 season, with Mike Dunleavy Jr. taking over the reins for Wunderkind GM Bob Myers, Dub Nation was confident they had one more title run left. But with each passing week, the Golden State Warriors found themselves in a more profound crisis, and Stephen Curry’s growing frustration was impossible to ignore.

Hence, it was no surprise when he candidly acknowledged the truth on Wednesday night. After enduring back-to-back losses on their home court against the Pelicans, resulting in a 36-point deficit, Curry openly admitted to reporters that the Warriors need changes before the NBA’s trade deadline on February 8th.

While in years past, the Warriors usually stood pat – this year, they don’t have that option. For starters, fellow Splash Brother Klay Thompson’s shooting woes can’t be ignored anymore. With Klay entering a contract year, many believe his best years are behind him since his injury in the Finals-losing Game 6 against the Raptors in 2019.

Also, Draymond’s suspensions have greatly disturbed the team’s flow. Even though Draymond has since returned to the lineup, the Warrior’s decline continues, with Draymond’s once elite defense essentially doing a Houdini act. Then you have the curious case of Andrew Wiggins, who can’t decide if he wants to be an All-Star or a bust.

As the former number-one overall pick by the Timberwolves, Wiggin’s inconsistencies ran him out of town. After being traded to the Warriors before the 2020 NBA trade deadline, Wiggins proved to be the missing piece of the puzzle, post-Kevin Durant in the 2021-2022 season, which saw the Warriors win their fourth title in the Kerr-Curry era. But that would be Wiggins’ Cinderella ball. Since then, he has reverted to his wildly inconsistent Timberwolves days. Numerous NBA insiders have linked Wiggins in a potential trade to the Dallas Mavericks.

Heach Coach Steve Kerr, and five-time champion as a player, has expressed his belief that the team is far superior to their sub-.500 record suggests. Despite the recent disappointments against Toronto and New Orleans, it is essential to acknowledge that 80% of Golden State’s games this season were decided within the final five minutes.

However, the Warriors focus on securing a higher position in the lottery rather than striving for a title. In a league comprising 30 teams, their offensive rating ranks 14th, defensive rating ranks 23rd, and net rating ranks 19th as of Friday. It would be prudent for Dunleavy to prioritize attaining financial flexibility and positioning the Warriors favorably for a potential roster transformation in the upcoming summer.

Dunleavy may be enticed to offload as many major contracts as feasible, excluding Curry, and opt for a rebuilding strategy. Nevertheless, unless Curry gives his consent to this plan, the Warriors have a responsibility towards him to strive for another title.

While the Warriors sorely need scoring help, one upgrade that has plagued the franchise for several years has been the lack of a true center. In the 2021 NBA draft, the Warriors thought they had their anchor with James Wiseman. But for some reason, the two didn’t gel. Wiseman was soon traded to the Detroit Pistons and remains one of the few bright spots in their historic season of futility. Once considered a bust, Wiseman is commonly used in fantasy sports pickups and MI betting sites.

But, if Kerr can convince Dunleavy to let this season play out, the Warriors might wait to make some moves in the off-season, like they did last year when they unloaded Jordan Poole to the Wizards after his historic Playoff meltdown.