Does it make sense for the Golden State Valkyries to make a trade?

The Golden State Valkyries have been careful in constructing the roster for their inaugural WNBA season and, as the trade deadline approaches on August 7 at 3 p.m. ET, they’ll probably stick to that approach.

But what if they decide to make a push for the playoffs? Why not rush things a bit, considering how the young trio of Veronica Burton, Janelle Salaün and Carla Leite have been playing? Why not bring in a vet for the price of second- and third-round picks? Considering the talent pool available in the WNBA, the Valkyries can bring in solid contributors without using up high-value picks.

Other teams may have a similar philosophy. But those teams don’t have $295,441 in cap space and a legitimate chance at making the postseason, despite losing leading scorer, Kayla Thornton, to a season-ending injury. Credit to head coach Natalie Nakase for still keeping her team at .500 and in the No. 8 spot in the standings, which would qualify them for the postseason. If the Valkyries decide to get somebody, it probably won’t be a big name, but somebody who will benefit the team in both the short and long run.

For example, the Valkyries are one of the few teams who have the cap space to take in Marina Mabrey’s deal without having the send the Connecticut Sun a significant player in return. But will they go that route? The Valkyries are first in the league in 3-point attempts per game, with 29.9 attempts per game, which is almost two more than the second-place Atlanta Dream. Yet, Golden State is second to last in percentage at 31.1 percent. Mabrey, a career 35 percent long-distance shooter, could aid the Valks in that regard; however, this season, she’s been underperforming, making just 27.3 percent of her 3s, despite the career-high 7.5 attempts per contest. Is she worth the gamble for Golden State? Restoring her percentage could turn out to be a long-term project; she also could disrupt the chemistry, as she’s the type of player who controls the ball a lot, for better or worse.

What other teams could the Valkyries call about potential shooters? The Las Vegas Aces and Los Angeles Sparks are battling with Golden State for the final two playoff spots, so they’re out of the conversation. That leaves the Washington Mystics, who have effectively written themselves off the potential playoff hunt by agreeing to send Brittney Sykes to the Seattle Storm, the Dallas Wings and the Chicago Sky as potential trade partners for a Valkyries team seeking long-distance shooter.

The only two players that look like potential, immediate improvements in that regard are the Sky’s Rachel Banham and the Wings’ Haley Jones. Banham might be targeted by better teams that are willing to offer more draft capital and a future prospect in return. If I were Golden State general manager Nyanin Ohemaa, I would do my best to get Jones. She has improved as a 3-point shooter, hitting 41.2 percent this season compared to a career 26 percent accuracy. She’s also great character player. Plus, she’s a California girl who was born in Santa Cruz and educated in San Jose and at Stanford. So, she would almost certainly strengthen the team’s local bonds.