With Steve Kerr’s new philosophies, a refreshing mindset of competition, and optimism, the Golden State Warriors are soaring. They have a 7-1 record so far, including a win against the reigning champions on Wednesday. In hindsight, their quiet offseason marked by valuable additions such as Buddy Hield and Kyle Anderson are paying dividends. But some old wounds are hard to get over. One of them is their strategy to pair Stephen Curry with a revolutionary star in his final stretch in the Bay.

The Warriors had two names on their chalkboard. The first being Lauri Markkanen from the Utah Jazz. The All-Star forward decided to side with his franchise in hopes of fostering a future. Moreover, the GM Danny Ainge didn’t make things easy for Mike Dunleavy either. However, the trade that may have frustrated the Warriors more could be their failed pursuit of Paul George.

In him, they saw a star that could spring them into contention talks. That has been the policy the Warriors are chasing. If they are to go ‘all out’, the move needs to be for someone that solidifies championship aspirations and not just brings them one step closer.

However, what the Clippers did was go “against the grain” as Sam Amick wrote in his recent excerpt. They chose to let Paul George walk for free without taking any assets back. In the Warriors’ view, the decision was unexpected. However, according to Amick, the Clippers “are adamant in their defense of the Golden State decision as well” as he detailed in his story for The Athletic.

The main reason is financial flexibility. The Clippers have managed to remain under the second apron, a place teams would be willing to go to if they were genuine title contenders. With the punitive restrictions that come with it, the Clippers simply decided to wait their turn.

“You’re in a situation where you never have cap space and you never have your midlevel exception and you’re just strictly dealing with minimums and trades. Our goal is we want to be a sustainable contender,” Lawrence Frank, the Clippers’ president of basketball operations said.

And even though there is resentment toward the Clippers, the Warriors might have learned from it as well.

The Warriors still hold out hope, but only for the right man

In recent weeks, the Bay has sparked several trade interests around the NBA. Notably, Jimmy Butler of the Miami Heat is someone they are reportedly tracking. With his contract extension up in the air, the Bay could make a splash as he is a bona fide postseason star who can take a hefty load off Curry in tough situations.

However, does he fit Steve Kerr’s tune? The Warriors are a shooting team and are successful when they do so well. A small sample of this season makes it evident. The advent of Buddy Hield has helped them retain that identity. Butler isn’t renowned for his perimeter offense, operating heavily inside the arc.

And with regards to making a defining trade, Dunleavy gave some hints about his strategy. “There’s no point in going all in to be slightly above average,”. Butler will command a high salary and hence, several promising assets that could include Kuminga or Podziemski. But does he guarantee a title for the Bay? Not as much as Giannis Antetokounmpo, whom the front office won’t think twice to go all in over.

The Greek Freak is currently in a troubled Milwaukee environment. Doc Rivers and the Bucks have failed to play off the star tandem of Antetokounmpo and Damian, sitting at a disappointing 2-6 record. If that experiment fails, there is serious talk about the 29-year-old exploring his options. The Warriors might open his arms for him.

Yes, he is a lesser three-point threat than Butler. However, the sheer dominance Antetokounmpo commands can truly open the floor for the Warriors. Defenses can’t give Curry an inch of space and they can’t offer Giannis Antetokounmpo an open lane. It becomes a question of picking your poison.

Additionally, Antetokounmpo has won DPOY, pairing him up with a strategist like Draymod Green could ensure the Warriors don’t suffer the defensive slump the Bucks are currently going through. It’s a lofty move, yes. However, it lays the foundation for one last run and the potential to stay trending in the future.

That’s one move the Warriors would be willing to go into the second apron for, aligning perfectly with the two years that would remain on Curry and Green’s contract. If you were the front office, which of the two stars would you choose? Let us know your views in the comments below.