Warriors are 1 of 5 teams above the 2nd apron in 2023-24. One of the priorities is to get under the 2nd apron for the 2024-25 season. They should do the following steps.

• Poole was traded in a salary dump trade because CP3's contract is non-guaranteed. Warriors save $30M just by declining his contract.

• Cut Looney and save $5M, then resign him or another C for the minimum.

• Payton already said he is willing to opt out and resign on a discount. Signing him to a 3 year, $18M deal ($6M per year) would save them $3M in 2024-25.

Wiggins is traded for Caruso and Vucevic. Vucevic adds much needed size, which is something the Warriors want to do. Vucevic is a good enough 3 point shooter to shift Green to PF. Caruso hedges against the risk of Klay leaving and he is the perfect backcourt teammate for Steph. This also opens up more minutes for Kuminga by trading Wiggins and potentially Moody if Klay leaves.

I expect Bulls to enter a full rebuild and they capitalize on Caruso while unloading the remaining years of Vucevic's contract. They get 3 1st round picks with this trade. This is an overpay, but I think they remain in title contention by making this move.