Kawakami: The Warriors’ potential offseason target list — from Porzingis to Portis Jr. to Brown

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For the first time in years and years, the Warriors might not do much serious big-name, big-money shopping this offseason, which, of course, probably frustrates all those aggressive executives inside team HQ just a little bit.

It’s more fun to put every famous player on the white board than to start with a very limited list. It’s more energizing to use Joe Lacob and Peter Guber’s checkbooks to try to jump into every major deal moving across the NBA transom than to sit out the wildest scenarios.

But as the Warriors prepare for this week’s draft (without a first-round pick), next week’s start of free agency, and the true trade season, they know that they’ve made their big trade for this coming season. It’s just that it happened last season.

At the trade deadline, the Warriors, of course, traded four players to acquire Jimmy Butler, who fit perfectly alongside Stephen Curry and Draymond Green and who was given a two-year, $112 million extension that essentially locks up the top end of the Warriors’ payroll through 2026-27.

“I think we’ll look at stuff,” general manager Mike Dunleavy said Monday. ” … (But) it’s just almost impossible for us to add players in the salary range of guys we were looking at last summer since we’ve added Jimmy.

“That would be the only limiter. But in terms of finding talent, improving this team, we’re going to look under every rock to try and do that.”

As Dunleavy mentioned, that’s in distinct contrast to last summer, when the Warriors were close to acquiring Paul George and giving him a $200-million-plus deal. Then they tried to do the same with Lauri Markkanen. With Butler on board, the salary-cap rules — especially the penalties for going deep past the first apron or into the second apron — narrow the Warriors’ options pretty much to players making $30 million per year or less.

But some very important things can happen involving much-lower-than-max players; for example, Alex Caruso turned into a $20-million-a-year finishing piece for the just-crowned champion Oklahoma City Thunder, and the last key addition at the start of the Warriors’ dynasty was Shaun Livingston, signed for a $5.3 million average salary before the 2014-15 season.

Dunleavy’s main potential trade assets this summer are restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga, some future first-round picks, and possibly Moses Moody, Brandin Podziemski, and Trayce Jackson-Davis. These are all interesting pieces. But the Warriors might not trade any of these guys, and even if they did, they’re not going to land a superstar in return. The Warriors couldn’t fit one into their payroll, anyway.

Still, the Warriors could use a secondary playmaker and scorer to supplement Curry and Butler and help out Podziemski. They could use an athletic center who, ideally, also shoots three-pointers. They could more defensive depth, especially at the wing spots. In the free-agent market, they have the $5.7 million taxpayer midlevel exception available; the Warriors could possibly drop below the tax line and get access to the $14.1 million non-taxpayer MLE — but to do that the Warriors would likely need to let Kuminga walk away for nothing in return or just sign his $7.9 million qualifying offer in order to set up unrestricted free agency next offseason. Which seems unlikely.

Their trade options include moving Kuminga in a sign-and-trade, which is just about the only way the Warriors could acquire a significant player. But the Warriors can only take back players making salaries half of what Kuminga earns in Year 1 of any new deal. Note: If they involve a third team to wash out some of the money, things could get a little more interesting. But that’s complicated.

All of this makes my annual Warriors Potential Offseason Target List a little less starry than usual — I think this is the first time, other than in years when Kevin Durant was actually on the Warriors, when I haven’t listed Durant up at the top. Or Giannis Antetokounmpo. Or PG-13.

But even when you reduce the options to players making $30 million all the way down to the veteran minimum, lots of interesting names pop up. The Warriors’ core is set, thanks to the Butler trade. The search now is for the right mix of supplementary players.

(And easy summary: Butler is better than either George or Markkanen. Or most anybody else you could list.)

Let’s get to it, in order of magnitude (not in likelihood of a deal).

Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis: Everybody knows the Celtics will be looking to cut down their payroll, and Porzingis, with one year left at $30.7 million, could be a prime option. The big salary makes this a difficult deal to put together, given the Warriors’ constraints and the Celtics’ current second-apron status. To make it work, this would have to involve a third team that could take Kuminga’s salary then ship him to Boston, it’d take the Warriors sending out Moody and other assets, and Kuminga would have to agree to a contract. Very tricky.

But what a fit Porzingis’ shooting and shot-blocking could be for the Warriors. And they’re one team that wouldn’t be too alarmed by Porzingis’ health issues and struggles during the recent playoffs — he’d be a one-year flier with his future decided by his play next season.

Celtics guard Derrick White: We know Steve Kerr liked him a lot during their time together for Team USA last summer and we know that White’s toughness and shooting could make him the Warriors’ most complete shooting guard since Klay Thompson’s prime. But that’s also why the Celtics probably won’t move White, whose four-year, $118-million extension is just about to start.

Pacers center Myles Turner: It seems likeliest that Turner, a free agent, and the Pacers will figure out a way to stay together. Even if Indiana wants to pare down its payroll in the wake of Tyrese Haliburton’s horrible Achilles injury, the Warriors and Pacers’ rosters don’t match up well for trades.

Bucks forward Bobby Portis Jr. The Warriors probably will try to talk to Portis, who can be a free agent and profiles as an almost ideal Warriors second-unit scorer. However, Portis seems likely to remain in Milwaukee if Giannis remains, and Giannis is likely to remain (at least for now).

Timberwolves center Naz Reid: He’s amazingly only 25, even though it seems like he’s been blasting the Warriors from three-point distance for more than a decade. He has a $15 million player option that he’s likely to turn down, which puts him in a salary range that the Warriors probably can’t get to.

Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen: Though he’s been on the Warriors’ radar through several cycles and though Cleveland might be interested in Kuminga, Allen’s $28 million, $30.2 million, and $32.5 million salaries over the next three seasons seem a bit of a reach in this conversation.

Pelicans wing Trey Murphy III: His four-year, $112-million extension is kicking in this summer. Positive note for a possible Warriors deal: Murphy’s an up-and-comer whose $25 million salary is a good fit for their payroll. Negative note for a possible Warriors deal: Why would the Pelicans want Kuminga over Murphy?

Bulls guard Coby White: He’s signed for one more year at $12.9 million and, at 25 and with his explosive offensive skill set, might be the best candidate on this list to turbo-boost the Warriors’ second unit. If the Bulls really like Kuminga or Moody, this would be a great match. But do they?

Timberwolves wing Nickeil Alexander-Walker: He’ll be very popular on the free-agent market. Young, versatile wings always are. Minnesota, which has a lot of other issues to resolve, probably can’t afford him — but that also means that the Wolves wouldn’t want to add the Warriors’ salaries in any proposed trade.

Pelicans wing Herb Jones: Great defensive player with a very workable salary — he has two years left, starting at $13.9 million this coming season. Tough to see the Pelicans wanting Kuminga or Moody over Jones, but with Joe Dumars taking over, maybe there could be a surprise.

Heat forward Jaime Jaquez: His all-around game has a lot of fans inside Warriors HQ and around the league. Unlikely that the Heat will sell low after his sophomore slump last season.

Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija: At some point, Portland is going to have to winnow down its cluster of interesting young players and maybe start listening to offers on Avdija. I suspect, though, that he will be one of their keepers.

Timberwolves guard Donte DiVincenzo: Well, we know he fits on-court with Curry and Draymond and in the Warriors’ locker room. Doubt Minnesota is ready to move on from him after only one season, though.

Pelicans wing Bruce Brown: This is very low on the list for my choice as the most practical option for the Warriors this cycle, but it’s a weird year. Brown has bounced around to several teams after his key role in the Nuggets’ 2023 title run and missed half of last season. But he’s still only 28 and just like his creativity and court vision elevated him alongside the brilliance of Nikola Jokic, you’ve got to figure that Brown would be a valuable connector next to Curry and Butler. New Orleans has a team option for $23 million that the Pelicans almost certainly will not exercise.

Bulls center Nikola Vucevic: Even though Vucevic is finally on the last year of his deal, at $21.5 million, I’ve dropped him way down from his prominent place on this list last winter. Small-sample size: Vucevic was awful defensively in his games against the Warriors last season. Wasn’t good in most of the other games, too. The Warriors could’ve put together a solid package for him last season and never consummated the deal. And now Quentin Post might be almost as good as Vucevic already and is nine years younger.

Nets guard De’Anthony Melton: Those were six memorable games with the Warriors at the start of last season before his knee injury. Is Melton upset about the Warriors trading him away while he was hurt? Will he get any offers much above the vet-minimum? He’s obviously a risk after all his recent injuries, but if Melton is OK about a return, there wouldn’t be many better (cheap) options for a potential third-guard role.

Bucks center Brook Lopez: Coming off a creaky season? Yup. Nearing 40? Yup. Still a pretty legendary Bucks figure? Definitely. Lopez would be an interesting candidate as a guy who starts, helps set the rim-protection, makes some threes, and plays maybe 20 minutes a night for the Warriors. He can do that for Milwaukee, too. Where he’s loved.

Spurs guard Chris Paul: Just seeing if you’re still paying attention! No, I don’t expect a CP3-Warriors sequel, especially with the Warriors’ limited salary options. But he’s a free agent and Curry and Draymond still gush about his time here two seasons ago. You never know.

Kings center Trey Lyles: He’s a free agent and I’ve heard his name come up around the Warriors a few times in the past as a backup center who can shoot a little. Haven’t heard this lately, though.

Raptors big man Chris Boucher: Naz Reid and Kevon Looney apparently will be in their 20s forever and Boucher shockingly (to me) is already 32. Older-head Warriors fans still talk about Boucher’s G League stint and one regular-season game (March 14, 2018) with the Warriors. He’s had a nice run as a depth guy with the Raptors, can still shoot the three (36.3% last season), and has been known to block a shot or two. If he’d take a vet-minimum deal, Boucher is guaranteed to light up Chase Center a few times next season. The other games? Well …