The Golden State Warriors are running out of margin.
A three-game losing streak has pushed them to 13–15 on the season, and the Western Conference has offered no room for patience. The urgency is no longer theoretical. The season is starting to slip, and internal answers have not arrived quickly enough.
With Stephen Curry still playing at an elite level and the West tightening by the week, Golden State’s front office is under pressure to add a two-way piece who fits now and later.
One name that continues to surface in league-wide speculation is Trey Murphy III of the New Orleans Pelicans. The cost would be steep. The logic is clear.
Why Golden State Would Target Trey Murphy III
GettyTrey Murphy III of the New Orleans Pelicans celebrates a second half basket with Herbert Jones.
Murphy checks boxes the Warriors have struggled to fill consistently this season.
He is a high-volume, high-efficiency shooter who does not need the ball to be effective. He runs the floor, moves instinctively without it, and has the size to hold up defensively on the wing. In other words, he fits the way Golden State wants to play when things are working.
The Warriors’ offense still bends defenses around Curry. What has been missing is a reliable wing who can punish that attention without compromising spacing or defensive integrity. Murphy would immediately step into that role.
Warriors Trade Talks Start With Jonathan Kuminga
GettyJonathan Kuminga of the Golden State Warriors could get traded before the February deadline.
Any serious Warriors offer for Murphy likely starts with Jonathan Kuminga.
Kuminga remains Golden State’s most realistic trade chip, combining age, upside, and contract flexibility. While he continues to flash scoring ability, his role alongside Curry has never fully stabilized, and his long-term fit within a win-now structure remains unresolved.
The framework of a Kuminga-centered deal is not new. An idea along these lines was previously floated by Jedd Pagaduan of Clutch Points, highlighting how Golden State would need to leverage upside and future flexibility to even enter the conversation for Murphy.
For New Orleans, Kuminga would not have to be a finished product. He could be viewed as a developmental swing or a movable asset in a broader reset, especially if the Pelicans decide to rebalance their roster.
Warriors’ Aggressive Package for Trey Murphy III
Warriors would receive:
Trey Murphy III
Pelicans would receive:
Jonathan Kuminga
Buddy Hield
Two future first-round picks (one lightly protected)
One additional first-round pick swap
This is the type of offer that would force the Pelicans to listen.
Murphy is under contract, entering his prime, and fits both timelines. That reality drives the price. Golden State would be betting that Murphy is not just a complementary piece, but a long-term starter who can survive playoff scouting and physicality.
Why the Warriors Might Pay the Price Anyway
The Warriors are no longer operating from a position of comfort.
The losses are piling up. The rotation has lacked consistency. And the path through the West is not getting easier. Standing still risks wasting another elite Curry season without a meaningful course correction.
Murphy would not fix everything. But he would address multiple issues at once: shooting, size, and lineup flexibility. Those are the kinds of moves contenders make when time becomes the variable they cannot control.
Golden State has to decide how aggressive it wants to be. Murphy represents the kind of swing that signals clarity, not panic.
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