How was Podz last night on D? Would love if he evolves to become a lockdown defender on guards. He's already so good at taking charges

Note, Warriors don't really have any more ability to add a star to the team in these next 3 seasons of Steph's window so they have to hope it happens internally (JK, Podz, Moody). I think they are banking on JK being the one to take the leap

And then after that? CLEAN books for the 27-28 season. And Joe Lacob/MDJ can go star hunting once again with ample of cap space and all the warriors first round draft picks at their disposal. Maximize the 3 year window without mortgaging the future. Light years baby!

With Quinten Post (stretch 5) and Jimmy Butler bringing defenders inside, the warriors floor now looks so much better spaced. Which is amazing for Steph. This was such a perfect trade for the Warriors and exactly what they needed to maximize this 3 year window with steph/dray/butler

Not too big of a loss, when you consider that the 4 players they traded (yes, including Wiggins) were all in the bottom six of the warriors this season in terms of plus minus.

So the warriors lost 4 of their worst performing players this season and added Jimmy Butler....

So what is the real cost for the Warriors if the Butler trade doesn't work out?

1. Losing Wiggins on a reasonable contract
2. The first round pick that is top 10 protected in a weak draft beyond the top half of the first round
3. "Depth" that the warriors probably had too much of

Resigning Kuminga isn't even off the table with the Butler extension. Again, the only real practical cost to resigning Kuminga is Joe Lacob's wallet and he knows the ROI is there if the Warriors are contending for a championship. Lacob's wallet and mindset continues to be an advantage for the Dubs

2. Practically, Warriors don't have any real use for the cap space that Butler takes up a taxpayer team. And they have same taxpayer tools to improve the team since they are under the first apron this season.

The biggest cost is Joe Lacob's money and Lacob is willing to spend to win championships

So why trade for Butler and sign him to the extension?

1. A motivated Butler can win NBA playoff series practically on his own. He's shown this over and over again... (but he's 35 now can he still do it?). He's a floor and ceiling raiser, which Warriors need

This past offseason, Warriors first tried to get a star but once they couldn't, they worked to get under the first apron so they would have the ability to pursue a star (like Butler or KD) at the trade deadline. Getting under the first apron allows them to aggregate salaries to land a star via trade

Warriors with Steph Curry and Draymond Green still playing at a high level need to maximize the window they have (they are both extended through 26-27 season). Which means they can't really tank. In the NBA, you either tank or go for the ship. They didn't have a team in place that could win the ship

I got to admit my first reaction to the Jimmy Butler trade was it never works out when a team trades for an old player and extends them to their age 37 season. No one beats father time and the warriors gave up Wiggins on a reasonable contract. Let me explain why they did it from a cap perspective: