The Portland Trail Blazers were able to outgun the Golden State Warriors in a 136-131 shootout at the Moda Center on Sunday night, handling the Dubs so thoroughly that some around the Bay Area believe a trade is necessary to right the ship in San Francisco.

On SI’s Joey Akeley believes the team needs to consider Herb Jones (6’7″), an “ideal wing defender,” Myles Turner (6’11”), an “ideal rim protector,” and/or Ivica Zubac (7’0″), “another great rim-protecting option,” to surround Steph Curry with the necessary pieces to win. Akeley relayed the one option to get them, but it’ll take some time.

“To acquire any of them they’ll need to trade Jonathan Kuminga, and they can’t do that until Jan. 15. Maybe the Warriors can keep it together enough for a month. But the sooner they make a trade to fix one of these issues, the better off they’ll be,” Akeley wrote.

With how Draymond Green looked against Donovan Clingan, it’s understandable to want a big man like Zubac or Turner to bang in the post. Turner brings an added element of floor spacing that compromises bigs like Clingan defensively.

Meanwhile, a lengthy, disruptive wing like Jones would’ve helped the Warriors contend with the primary reason they lost.

Shaedon Sharpe, Deni Avdija, and Jerami Grant Outduel Steph Curry

Golden State fell to 13-14 with the loss despite 48 points from Curry. Meanwhile, the Trail Blazers’ three best players, Shaedon Sharpe, Deni Avdija, and Jerami Grant, combined for 96 points on 30/56 shooting from the field and a 14/24 clip from beyond the arc.

While the number of three-pointers was high, it’s clear that Tiago Splitter’s coaching is getting through to the team’s primary shot-takers. Splitter demanded that the trio attack the rim more this past week, and then they erupted against a defense unprepared to meet them at the summit on their incessant rim runs.

“Those guys have talent; we need them to be aggressive,” Splitter told RG.org. “So, I don’t see just a number. I see the game, I see what they’re doing, and if it’s the right shot for that particular play.”

Message received, win acquired. We’ll see what more Splitter has to impart on his group after picking up win No. 10 in 2025-26.