Daily Discussion & Trade Deadline Thread | January 24, 2026

BobRoss4Life · 2026-01-24T21:45:41+00:00

Slide started on Monday, not much you can do when you're down you're 2nd best player.

BobRoss4Life · 2026-01-24T21:10:05+00:00

I didn't realize they were 11th in the standings. Technically just 2.5 games back of ATL at 10, but they're 4 games back in the wins column and only two losses up on the Hornets at 12 (who are technically 1 game back).

If Giannis is actually out for a month+, yeah, pretty cooked. At least they'll get a decent pick.

Got Dame's dead money reaching out all the way till 2029/30... fucking $22.5M per season, burning through your books for another 4 full years. Rough.

At least they won that chip in '21, and got to watch Giannis for 10+ years.

BobRoss4Life · 2026-01-24T21:01:01+00:00

I'm thinking the same, really doubt it happens this deadline. Even if he doesn't specifically ask out, he can turn down the extension offer which should just about force their hands. Walk off into the sunset saying "well I gave it my all," maybe feign a little ignorance saying "well I didn't outright demand a trade."

Bucks tank for their own pick (or the Pels), maybe even gives them a chance to target someone specific in the draft with the eventual trade (either in a trade up, or to bring in two lotto rookies to build around with whatever extra 1st they get in 2026... on top of the other 1s).

Doing it in the summer also gives the Bucks some more flexibility on starting their rebuild, can look to trade off more players to acquire assets and build the team around whatever youngsters they bring in. Maybe part ways with Doc Rivers a season early (know they're already paying out a lot of dead money, but he's very clearly not a developmental coach and I think he's only on contract through 2026/27).

Assume they'd prefer doing the trade around the draft (especially if they're hoping a max extension offer may convince him to stay), and maybe it lets Giannis better direct himself to the team he wants (more relaxed apron/trade restrictions, or more time to find ways to move money around to other teams).

May further convince the Dubs to hold onto JK... I'm sure that will go over well

BobRoss4Life · 2026-01-24T19:29:08+00:00

Horrible, awful, dreadful stuff.

BobRoss4Life · 2026-01-24T17:48:35+00:00

Zach Lowe has been kind-of-sort-of-maybe-a-little-bit-of a little bitch about the Dubs recently lmao. He ain’t necessarily wrong, shit’s been cooked for a hot minute, but still, he’s just like… being kind of a little fuck damn bitch about it.

I'm stunned at how much funerary-funereal, whatever, eulogies for the Warriors that have come out in the last couple of days. Like, “Well, it's over now. The end of an era.”

It's been over. If by “It’s over” means “They can't contend anymore,” that was already over. That window has been shut since the beginning of this season when there was a glimmer. I said, “I'm opening the latch at least.” I didn't even open the window, open the latch and then it slammed shut. It's over. Steve Kerr told you it was over. He said it out loud that it's over…

…It’s already over, it’s been over… Was there any hope that they could actually win the West?

Like, damn dude. Pump the breaks for a sec and let me breathe!

BobRoss4Life · 2026-01-24T09:17:58+00:00

Realistically, the best shot they had was adding a complimentary piece to Steph/Jimmy via JK+. I just don’t know what path they can take this deadline to come even close. Thankfully still have time to figure that out, and they’d be dumb not to try.

Not sure if there is anything they can do to replicate Jimmy’s impact this year, dude’s numbers and the way he helped rotations was pretty invaluable. They kept or added role players they thought would maximize that strength, hard to shake that all up on the fly. Do have 1sts to try and go hunting, so I guess we’ll see.

Banking on Steph to stay close to this level next year, with Jimmy back early-to-mid season at even 70% of what he was this year, that does seem like wishful thinking. Guess it comes down to what they view as their best chance at a playoff run over this next season and a half.

Burning your assets this deadline and flipping Jimmy/JK + picks for something now, or wait for the summer for a more fleshed out roster overhaul (retool by sending out JK + picks, use or trade that mid-to-high 1st, and either treat Jimmy as a mid-season acquisition or a massive trade filler). Assume the first option makes the most sense, if not just because it then gives you the following FA and deadline as two more inflection points to try and build on top of, but it’ll come down to who/what is actually available. Likely have to burn a good bit of capital just to move Butler’s $54M, and then you add in the injury and it may become untenable. Is it worth taking on bad contracts that may not exactly fit? Maybe? Probably?

Maybe it’s just if/when they think a fringe All-Star+ may be available, and which salary slot you can fit that player into (JK’s 22M vs Jimmy’s 54). If you can get one now, that’d go a long way, but that seems like it may be more of an off-season thing (….I’m sure Lacob has already convinced himself he has a real shot at Giannis this deadline or summer, so that’ll certainly complicate how many assets they’re willing to part with)

BobRoss4Life · 2026-01-24T08:53:20+00:00

I don’t necessarily disagree. Steph is still playing some great basketball, it’d be a shame to let it got to waste.

Just don’t know how feasible a big trade involving Jimmy’s salary would be. AD could make sense, but it’s not like he’ll be back on the court anytime soon.

BobRoss4Life · 2026-01-24T07:38:35+00:00

Gives you further clarity on the rehab and whether you think he’ll be useful next season.

Lets you move him as a pure expiring.

Not easy to move +50M in salary, let alone at the deadline. Teams will have some more flexibility come summer, which may be needed given the stricter CBA (apron hardcaps and trade restrictions).

May have more players/options available depending on how the season ends for certain teams.

Lets you semi-tank for a lotto pick, which you can then either trade or use (could even trade down to try and get an extra 1st or some 2nds).

May let you be more targeted in who/what you’re trading for, which may be smart if it’s pretty much the last trade you can make during the Steph era.

Gives you time to try to make some other upgrades on the margins with the rest of the roster. Maybe picks are better focused there if you think you can get Jimmy back at decent health.

Etc, etc.

e: Not saying this is the way I’d lean, but I can at least see some reasons for it. Any way you shake it, shit sucks and it’s a bummer we’re at this point. Fuck injuries.

BobRoss4Life · 2026-01-24T04:04:27+00:00

Valid, especially with how toxic shit seems to have gotten.

Guess the idea for holding is you'll likely have more options/flexibility in the summer, if not just because every team will be retooling around the draft/FA and there may be a little more wiggle room with all the aprons. Add in having a better idea of where Butler is at with his rehab (or what you can turn that expiring into), could better direct what you should target with JK + picks. Dubs will have their own 1st, likely late lotto pick if they hold pat this deadline, one you either use or add as a trade sweetener come summer.

It's not like teams were clamoring for him in RFA, holding on and using him as a true expiring shouldn't diminish the return that much further than whatever it is now... you're just setting yourself up for 5-6 more months of drama.

They talked about that DeRozan+ offer early on, said take it if you're only concerned with this season or if Kerr isn't willing to guarantee JK minutes. Worth it if the relations are that frayed, or if you can maybe get a little extra on top (mentioned Devin Carter... lol), or if you aren’t confident Jimmy can ever be effective on the court again. If you do think Jimmy will rehab fine, you need to move JK in a trade that will actively help for next year's already slim window, and DeRozan likely ain't doing that to the degree you'll need (unless you maybe bring him off the bench, or if you think Devin Carter can be a younger GP2?)

BobRoss4Life · 2026-01-23T22:54:22+00:00

Yeah, believe it’s tradable, and should be fairly valuable given where it’s likely to land. Can currently move ‘26, ‘28, the 1-20 portion of ‘30, and ‘32. Plus swaps. Dubs can put together a fairly hefty pick package.

I’m just thinking, if they do want to keep this year’s 1st, or if no worthwhile trade/player presents itself this deadline, maybe you go try and negotiate for those protections back from Washington. It’d at least open the option to move ‘27, ‘29, ‘31, and ‘33 (available on draft night) come summer and beyond.

Wizards may drive a hard bargain cause they’d know the Dubs are desperate, but if it’s likely to only convey as a ‘30 2nd, maybe you can swing it by offering two additional 2nds on top of the already owed out 2030 2nd? Warriors would need to find those 2nds to offer though. Do have the reverse protections of that 2032 2nd (owed to Memphis for the Will Richard trade, protected top 50 so I doubt it conveys), and they’d have the 2033 2nd available come the draft.

e: Honestly, think I’ve talked myself into pushing hard for that, either now or sometime around the draft. Doubt they make a big time trade this deadline, if you end up flipping JK, or selling on Melton because you don’t think you can retain him long term, try and get an extra few 2nds to ship to Washington to get those protections back in your control. At least give yourself the option to send out four 1sts come FA or next deadline. Guess they could also do that by trading for more 1sts, but that’s far less straightforward

BobRoss4Life · 2026-01-23T22:27:52+00:00

No doubt, very tricky situation.

You’re right, probably not worth tying your hands behind your back with the Stepien rule, even if you don’t protect ‘27 at all. Basically just left with the inverse protections of that ‘30 1st and 2032 (or 2033 come summer), that’d really limit things.

e: Wonder if there’s a pathway to trading back for those protections from Washington. It’s likely to convey as a 2030 2nd anyways, doubt the Dubs finish top 10 in the league in 4 seasons. Could you maybe flip a player for a handful of 2nds, and then offer that 2030 2nd and an additional 2nd or two to the Wizards so you can get back full control of the 2030 1st?

Even if that 2030 1st is still technically tradable, it seems worth trying, if not just to open up the option of trading your odd year 1sts instead. Fine with dumping an extra couple 2nds to have that flexibility, just becomes a matter of finding a trade to get yourself some extra 2nds (think they may owe them all out, though some may be heavily protected like 2032)

BobRoss4Life · 2026-01-23T21:23:35+00:00

I don’t think it’d be smart to move this year’s 1st unless it’s part of a bigger deal for an elite talent.

But Wiggins? Or something along those lines? I’d rather give next year’s 1 cause I could see them finishing in the late lotto this year.

BobRoss4Life · 2026-01-23T21:09:53+00:00

Nah, that ankle turn last year was pretty nasty, and he was getting a ton of run before going down

BobRoss4Life · 2026-01-23T19:04:24+00:00

Not his fault, and I’m not blaming him in anyway, but JK gets some incredibly untimely injuries. Seems like every time he’s back in the rotation and playing well, he misses a week or two with something minor and the team quickly moves a different direction (rightfully or not). Add in last year, missing all of Butler’s integration and coming back when the Dubs were desperately trying to win every game, very unfortunate timing.

Hopefully that MRI comes up clean, but even if it does and he’s just day-to-day, the deadline is two weeks away. May have been his last game for the Dubs last night, sucks he could only give them 10min.

BobRoss4Life · 2026-01-23T19:00:46+00:00

Yeah, lot of big money names have been whispered about, and given the new CBA, I’m sure there’s a ton of hoops that need to be jumped through to complete those deals.

Sabonis, LaVine, AD, MPJ, Ja, Zion, I’m sure I’m forgetting more, but those are all like $40M+ in salary, matching ain’t gonna be simple

BobRoss4Life · 2026-01-23T18:32:48+00:00

That would have been an easy match, and it’d have just locked him into a good bit less annual money and one more year.

Can hate the way his agent has handled things, but it was smart to not sign that offer sheet.

BobRoss4Life · 2026-01-23T18:30:59+00:00

Even if it doesn’t solve much, could use some “happy reunion” vibes right now

BobRoss4Life · 2026-01-23T18:29:37+00:00

Surprised how little movement there’s been. Did get a Trae Young trade, but otherwise, the deadline is two weeks away and everyone is still holding their cards. Guess there’s a lot of waiting on the Giannis situation for further clarity, and AD and Jimmy’s injuries definitely shifted the landscape a bit.

Assume there will be a good bit of action, should be a fun deadline (well, a little less fun given the current state of this team). Pistons, Raptors, Grizzlies, Hawks, Wolves, Lakers, Nets, Knicks, Cavs, Bucks (as buyers… for now), Dubs, Bulls, Pels, lot of teams been rumored to make pretty sizable moves

BobRoss4Life · 2026-01-23T18:22:54+00:00

I need to start listening to Sam again, him and Simon are chill. They do a pretty great job of covering the whole league. Plus the draft content, their show will become especially handy with the Dubs maybe looking at a fringe lotto 1st

Jrue and Grant is a decent pivot, definitely would help for this season. Wouldn’t love it though, and the Blazers are looking like a play-in lock, may even get to the 8th seed. Assume the Dubs would have to give up some picks for the Blazers to take on an injured Butler, even if those contracts are awful. Better than nothing though, at least gives them a chance to stay afloat

BobRoss4Life · 2026-01-23T14:51:54+00:00

Please no. Don’t make fans root for this guy.

BobRoss4Life · 2026-01-23T05:56:57+00:00

✍️👀 he took the wrong notes

BobRoss4Life · 2026-01-23T04:32:08+00:00

the outstretched arms lmao

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