The Warriors absolute trust in Boger proves to the Rockets that sometimes the wisest deal is not to make a deal

Translator's note: This article was originally published from CBS, the author is SamQuinn. The data in the article are as of the original article as of April 29, local time, and the views in the article have nothing to do with the translator and the platform.

Jimmy Butler has brought such a great performance to the Golden State Warriors that it is easy to forget that he is not the Warriors’ top target when chasing superstars. No, we are not talking about the experience they pursued Kevin Durant at the same time. Going back to the summer, the Warriors were just eliminated by the Sacramento Kings in the playoffs between the No. 9 seed and No. 10 seed. After that, they were determined to introduce a new star in the 2024-2025 season. After failing to chase Paul George, they spent most of the offseason trying to get Laurie Markanen from the Utah Jazz.

Before Markanen renegotiated and renewed the contract with the Jazz, it is still unclear what chips the Warriors gave. Given that we are talking about Danny Angie, we can reasonably speculate that several first-round picks were put on the negotiating table at that time. But there was a tricky problem in those negotiations, and that was a rookie with great potential, who started only 28 games at the time. The Jazz reportedly want to get Brandin Podjemsky. The Warriors regard Podjemsky as a future All-Star player and attach great importance to his low-paid rookie contract, and ultimately chose not to trade him. Markanen then renewed his contract and the deal failed to be reached.

Time Fast forward several months. As the trading deadline for this season approaches, the Warriors' winning rate remains below 50%. At that time, they seemed eager to acquire All-Star players through any means. Podjemski's performance at the beginning of the season was a struggle, and his shooting percentage fell to freezing point. At that stage, the outside world had every reason to question the Warriors' decision to give up Sohamarkanen.

And we all know the subsequent developments. The Warriors got Butler at a lower price, and Podjemsky got back in form. On Monday local time, when Stephen Curry missed the shooting, the two of them worked together to score 53 points (the Golden State Warriors scored a total of 109 points) to help the Warriors win the crucial fourth game in the series against the Houston Rockets. Now, the Warriors lead the Rockets with a big score of 3-1. Originally, anybody's slight mismatch could have led to the equalization of the series and lost their home court advantage, but now they have led the Rockets into a desperate situation with a 3-1 lead.

We certainly cannot assert what impact Markanin will have if he joins, nor can we guarantee that the Warriors will not chase Butler without having Markanin. But considering the sky-high chips offered by the Jazz at that time (including multiple first-round picks and potential rookies), the Warriors are likely to have no room for operation or willing to make such a large bet.

At least from a financial perspective, Markkanen's age and salary cap makes it much higher to get him than to get Butler. If Pojmsky was given out, the Warriors would lose this key puzzle that has grown into the team's real-time combat power. Although Markanen's age advantage is more in line with the needs of long-term team building, his defensive influence is far less than Butler, and he cannot create basket killing and free throw opportunities for the team every night like the latter. If that deal is completed, the Warriors will not only lose their combat power, but their reserves of young blood and future draft assets will also shrink significantly. The strategic determination demonstrated by the Warriors is paving a bright road for their playoff journey. The truth revealed by this case is that sometimes the wisest transaction is to give up the transaction. This rule applies to many teams in the league, but is more warning to the Warriors' first-round opponent, the Rockets.

This is Houston's first return to the playoff stage since 2020. They have the youngest lineup structure in the league and a nearly unlimited reserve of future draft picks. In the upcoming offseason, Kevin Durant has entered the trading market, and Giannis Antetokounmpo also has the possibility of leaving the team, and the actual list of superstars available for trading will definitely be even larger - the list of disappointed players in the playoffs is always growing dynamically. In the next two months, the Rockets, who hold a lot of chips, will be like a child in a candy shop, and in theory can chase any top star.

But the Warriors' demonstration at this moment highlights the importance of waiting for the right trading opportunity rather than hastily grasping the first "big fish" that appears. Admittedly, the Rockets' half-court offensive system in this round of the series is almost paralyzed, but this does not mean that they should be rushing to pursue Durant, who is about to turn 37. This is the first time that the Youth Army has experienced the tempering of the playoff furnace, and they have not even fully recognized their potential.

The management has made a basic judgment on this. The Rockets refused to make major mid-season deals this season, precisely because of their confidence in the existing roster and their considerations of observing the team's ability to deal with high-pressure environments. Just as the Warriors firmly trusted Podjemsky and accompanied him through the pain of growth, this patience paid off in Game 4 and may ultimately determine the direction of the series. We hope that the Rockets can maintain equal stability, after all, even the most mature management will be shaken by the defeat. If you want to compete with the Warriors in the future, the Rockets should replicate the most is this restraint and vision that brings them into the playoffs.