As of last Thursday Jan. 2, rumors of an Andre Miller trade to the Golden State Warriors began intensifying, according to Yahoo Sports.
The Sacramento Kings also became a prominent team in these discussions.
Miller, currently a third-string point guard for the Denver Nuggets, engaged in a heated debate with head coach Brian Shaw from the bench during a loss to the Philadelphia 76ers on New Year’s Day.
The widely televised and curse-laden blowup precipitated a two-game suspension (Friday and Sunday).
Yahoo Sports further reports that despite the recent punishment, Nuggets general manager Tim Connelly is “determined to smooth over the acrimony between Miller and…Shaw, and plans on bringing back Miller on Monday for practice.”
But assuming that the latest news from The Denver Post is true (Jan. 6), would a trade to the Warriors make sense?
It wouldn’t just make sense—a more perfect destination doesn’t exist in the NBA.
Golden State is equipped with a superstar at point guard in Stephen Curry. It boasts the league’s best starting five but lacks reliable depth.
With Curry, Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodala, David Lee and Andrew Bogut suiting up, the Warriors are an unrivaled 18-3. They rank No. 1 in scoring margin and top-three in scoring defense per 100 possessions with every starter logging time on the hardwood.
We highlight these league-leading statistics because of what happens when Curry and Co. are not on the floor.
The Warriors are 0-3 without Curry, 5-7 sans Iguodala and needed a last-second miss by New Orleans Pelicans Eric Gordon in their lone victory without Bogut.
This team is indeed up the proverbial creek when Curry and primary backup point man Iguodala are missing in action.
Toney Douglas is simply an inadequate replacement. His 3.8 PPG, 1.1 RPG, 0.9 APG, 0.3 SPG and 36.3 FG percentage just won’t cut it.
Neither will his negative-0.1 offensive win shares per Basketball Reference.
Enter: Andre Miller.
Miller is a 14-year NBA veteran and is highly respected across the league. He sports career averages of 13.6 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 7.0 APG, 1.3 SPG and 45.9 percent shooting from the floor.
After starting for the majority of his playing days, he now understands his role as a secondary option.
He has come off the bench for 158 of 178 games played over the past three seasons. He has posted 8.4 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 5.3 APG, 0.8 SPG and a 45.8 FG percentage during that span.
More importantly, Miller has contributed to an average of 3.2 wins for Denver since 2011-2012.
It is clear that Miller would provide both leadership and statistical production for Golden State off the bench.
The playoff-contending Warriors need depth behind Curry and a high-IQ player to run point. They need a gritty, locker-room friendly veteran with postseason experience that can mesh with this team.
Miller is just that and more.
Operating against these very same Warriors in last year’s playoffs, Miller compiled 14.0 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 3.8 APG and 42 percent shooting as a sixth man. He maximized every ounce of his 36-year-old body with tremendous court vision and basketball savvy.
He had no issue whatsoever with serving as a valuable backup.
Playing for the team Miller once battled against makes all the sense in the world.
Matt Moore of CBS Sports would agree:
“The Warriors have been dealing with a thin bench all season since letting Jarrett Jack go in free agency. Toney Douglas isn't Miller's caliber, so it would definitely be an upgrade…He’s extremely well-respected in the locker room…[A] contending team like Golden State is a better fit.”
As opposed to landing with the Kings.
“Sacramento makes almost no sense, given that they just cleaned out their backcourt and made sense of it,” said the CBS NBA writer.
“A rebuilding team…doesn't seem like a great place to put Miller.”
What Moore calls a “better fit,” we would deem as a match made in basketball heaven.
Miller would solidify the Warriors’ status as a bona fide championship contender.
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