Warriors could take huge risk on injury-prone former No. 1 pick via trade

Colin Keane

Warriors could take huge risk on injury-prone former No. 1 pick via trade image

It's now or never for Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors.

Before the playoffs start, Curry will be 37 years old. Draymond Green will be 35.

Golden State's window is closing soon, which makes their next move crucial.

Can Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. afford to be anything other than bold and aggressive on the market?

Golden State has already acquired Dennis Schröder, but the Warriors need more. LeBron James isn't coming to save the day, but another former No. 1 overall pick might surprisingly be on the menu for the Dubs.

The New Orleans Pelicans are reportedly open to trading Zion Williamson, and ESPN's Bobby Marks thinks Golden State should pounce.

"Zion is interesting ... because he is injured right now ... we don’t know when he is coming back," Marks said.

"I’ve always circled Golden State ... (as a) team there for for Zion."

The Warriors could send a package of Andrew Wiggins, Kevon Looney, Brandin Podziemski, and draft capital to New Orleans for Zion.

But is it worth the risk? Williamson has literally never appeared in a playoff game due to his constantly revolving door of injuries.

Within the risk there lies a reward, however -- if Zion gets back to full health, he would be a monster for the Warriors and unlock a new dimension for the team. 

Small-ball lineups with Schröder, Curry, Williamson, Jonathan Kuminga, and Green would be ridiculous to play against.

Maybe Dunleavy Jr. should just take a big swing on Williamson and see what happens.

More NBA: Celtics could cut ties with $60 million All-Star via trade to Rockets

Colin Keane

Colin Keane Photo

Colin Keane is a contributing journalist for The Sporting News. Born in Illinois, Colin grew up in Massachusetts as the third of four brothers. For his high school education, Colin attended St. Mark's School (Southborough, MA), where he played basketball and soccer and served as student body president. He went on to receive a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from Villanova University. Colin currently resides in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.