The Warriors seem to have lost their touch. A franchise once deemed the pioneers of the NBA’s 3-point revolution ended the year as the worst shooting team in December. It was one of the major reasons they lost 9 of their 13 games last month. Well, it’s clear the Bay needs a superstar to pair alongside Steph Curry to maintain their win-now approach. Potential targets? Zach LaVine and Jimmy Butler!

However, former NBA players Chandler Parsons and Lou Williams don’t believe that making a trade for either LaVine or Butler will end Steve Kerr’s struggles. Discussing the reasons behind the Warriors’ recent offensive slump, Williams said on the ‘Run it Back’ pod, “For me, I think it’s just personnel. I just don’t think they have the guys to be who they’re used to being offensively.”

Yes, Joe Lacob’s franchise started the season strong despite Klay Thompson’s departure. Well, they were emotional about his exit, but Kerr’s 13-man tactic still bore fruit. But the reality has now set in and it’s evident that Steph is their only consistent shooter…

Even in their most recent loss against the Cavs, they shot an abysmal 33% from the field, the worst at home under Kerr’s leadership. Although making a trade seems like a quick fix to this problem, Parsons is not too optimistic about the idea. Simply because of past instances. Buddy Hield, despite his hot streak, and Dennis Schroder have not uprooted too much in the Bay yet. Describing GSW’s in-season challenges while they try to “plug and play” different people using the same old system is bound to create problems.

“I don’t know if there’s a trade right now… I don’t know what the move is. Is it getting off Andrew Wiggins somehow and bringing something in? But what can you get for him? Cause like a Zach LaVine or a Jimmy Butler, do they even really move the needle and make them a contender right now this year?”

As great as LaVine and Butler are offensively, Chandler Parsons honestly doesn’t think they can solve the Warriors’ shooting problem right now, “I don’t know what’s the move that can put them over the edge right now because I don’t really see anything out there that’s gonna make them a contender right away.” Lou Williams also shared a similar sentiment. Moreover, on the other hand, it doesn’t look like Butler is available for the taking, anyway.

Warriors’ options limited as Pat Riley “NOT” ready to trade Jimmy Butler

Well, acquiring Butler will surely make the Warriors a better team on paper at least, if not title contenders. After all, he is a proven superstar and has led the Heat to the NBA Finals twice. And he is having a solid season, averaging 18.5 points and nearly five assists. However, he might not be aligned with the Warriors’ shooting identity because he is only shooting 35.7% from deep range.

More importantly, Pat Riley has shut down his star’s trade buzz with his latest statement. “We usually don’t comment on rumors, but all this speculation has become a distraction to the team and is not fair to the players and coaches. Therefore, we will make it clear—we are not trading Jimmy Butler.” So, JB might be off the table even though he doesn’t know what the future holds for him.

Therefore, the Warriors might be left with the only option- pursuing LaVine. However, adding him would likely require giving up their young core to make room for his massive contract. Moreover, it is quite unlikely that he will make them championship contenders right away, even though he is shooting 44.4% from deep range. That’s because the Bulls star hasn’t had much playoff success.

Considering all options, Lou Williams believes that the best way forward for the Warriors would be to “ride out this season” and regroup next year, hoping to win another title before Steph Curry hangs his boots. Do you agree with these legends?