The Golden State Warriors are in desperate need of frontcourt help, and the situation is becoming increasingly urgent. Despite acquiring Al Horford during the offseason, the team has reverted to a small-ball starting lineup, a clear indication that the current roster construction isn’t providing the interior presence they hoped for.
The franchise has been connected to several high-profile big-man targets, including Anthony Davis, Domantas Sabonis, and Lauri Markkanen. Each player offers a different blend of size, scoring, and interior dominance, all qualities that Golden State severely lacks as it navigates a difficult season start.
However, on Wednesday, the Warriors received discouraging news regarding any potential deal for Davis.
According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, “Davis would be the better fit for the Warriors if healthy. But the 32-year-old is far from that description after missing 38 of his first 52 regular-season games since becoming a Maverick. So that would figure to give the Warriors pause in pursuing AD.”
This statement underlines the core problem: Davis’ talent is undeniable, but his availability continues to be his greatest weakness. The big man, now with the Dallas Mavericks, has a recurring pattern, a dominant stretch of games followed by a concerning injury. This cycle has followed him from New Orleans to Los Angeles and now to Dallas, causing multiple front offices to hesitate when considering a trade.
With Davis entering what was expected to be a major bounce-back season, the hope was that he could rebuild his reliability and re-establish himself as a franchise cornerstone. Instead, his early-season availability issues may lead to one of the most challenging trade periods of his career. Teams simply do not want to invest valuable assets into a player who consistently struggles to stay on the floor.
For the Warriors, the fit remains tempting. Davis’ defensive presence, rim protection, versatility, and ability to take over games offensively would dramatically elevate a Golden State squad that has started the season far slower than expected. His presence in the paint would ease the burden on their aging core and provide structure to a team still searching for stability.
But Fischer’s latest report signals that Golden State is unlikely to overlook Davis’ durability issues. Even if his upside is massive, the risk level is equally steep. At a time when every roster move matters, the Warriors appear unwilling to gamble on a 32-year-old star whose availability remains his most significant flaw.
As a result, Davis is now expected to fall out of the realistic trade equation for Golden State, forcing the franchise to turn its attention toward Sabonis, Markkanen, or another frontcourt solution as the season progresses.
