It looks like the Golden State Warriors are determined to keep their championship tradition going for the next 10 years. In his latest piece for the Athletic, veteran NBA writer Tim Kawakami discussed the Warriors’ ultimate goal of winning more NBA titles and how their next long-term target, Anthony Davis, fits into the grand scheme of things.

Davis, arguably the most coveted talent in the NBA, isn’t a stranger to over-the-top trade rumors. As a matter of fact, the versatile power forward once asked the New Orleans Pelicans' front office to clear the air surrounding the trade buzz linking him to the Boston Celtics.

However, Kawakami’s claim that the GSW are already targeting Davis down the road will certainly ruffle more feathers.

After bagging two championships out of three consecutive NBA Finals trips, the Warriors are still the top dogs in the NBA for many reasons. They have retained their corps of players (Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston) and then added more firepower by acquiring Omri Casspi and Nick Young last summer.

The NBA’s super-team has become a lot more super this season, but Warriors GM Bob Myers could take that superlative to a much higher level if they are able to add another perennial All-NBA talent in Davis into the mix.

Kawakami stressed that acquiring Davis would be arduous and might require a lot of moving pieces. Yet, the blockbuster acquisition is not out of the realm of possibility. The Warriors can make a run at Davis once he hits the free agent market (2020 at the earliest). That’s the reality that is keeping rival teams on their toes.

Dealing with Kemba

The Charlotte Hornets were projected to compete for one of the eight available playoff spots in the Eastern Conference, but injuries to key players and chemistry problems put them eight games below .500 (15-23) three months into the season.

Sure, the Hornets can still right the ship with plenty of basketball left to play. However, finishing with another losing record could pull the trigger on a significant roster overhaul in the offseason.

Tim Bontemps of the Washington Post flirted with the idea of the Hornets trading their most movable asset, Kemba Walker. The All-Star point guard is the motor that has kept Charlotte running the last 3-4 years. The best thing about Walker is his cheap contract. He’s currently pocketing $12 million per year with his contract expiring in 2019.

The Hornets’ payroll flexibility isn’t looking good as well. Charlotte is projected to fall above the luxury tax threshold this year and the next year if they don’t unload some of their bad contracts.

The bad news is that only a few players on their roster can command a competitive trade package. Nicolas Batum is no longer the prized two-way wingman that he was, while Dwight Howard and Cody Zeller are simply overpriced centers that don’t fit in the modern game.

The Knicks in the mix?

Bontemps’ bold suggestions for the Hornets includes potential trades with the New York Knicks (Kemba’s hometown) and the rising Indiana Pacers. Losing the best player on the roster would be tough, but packaging Walker with Williams ($13.5M avg. salary per season) would save the Hornets from paying luxury tax.

Of two trade possibilities, the Knicks' hypothetical package of Frank Ntilikina, Joakim Noah, and their 2018 first-round pick is indeed intriguing on multiple levels.

Walker, who is averaging 21.3 ppg on 42 percent FG shooting this season, would be the All-Star level point guard the Knicks have been looking for. He would give the Knicks another legit scoring option outside of Kristaps Porzingis, who has already shown wear and tear with the season barely at the halfway point.
© ALL RIGHTS RESERVED