The Warriors also have another advantage in a potential trade for Towns, though Golden State fans won't like it: In Russell, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green, they have plenty of contracts large enough to match Towns'.

Strauss posited that the Warriors may be interested in exchanging Russell for his pal, in addition to some young talent like Eric Paschall and Alen Smailagic. That may hurt but it'd surely be more palatable than moving a core piece of the Warriors' championship team.

Observers around the NBA have wondered whether Green will see the other side of his prime sooner than other players because of the physical toll he takes, and there's no guarantee Thompson will return to his athletic peak post-ACL surgery.

Whether a Towns trade of any formulation is actually likely or not, the Warriors' intention is clear between this report and their rumored interest in Giannis Antetokounmpo: They want to morph this roster into one that will compete through the 2020s.

The Mercury News, San Jose