News that Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry suffered a knee injury and will miss multiple weeks of action came mere days ahead of Thursday’s NBA trade deadline.
Struggling to a 28-26 record thus far this season, the defending champs have been mentioned as one of the teams likely to be most active ahead of the deadline.
Recent reports indicate that both James Wiseman and Moses Moody could be moved. The two recent lottery selections have been out of Golden State’s rotation. It’s in this that the Warriors are eyeing another big man to go with Kevon Looney.
There’s a major backdrop to all of this. General manager Bob Myers’ contract expires this coming summer. There seems to be a rift between the former NBA Executive of the Year and Golden State’s ownership group about a plan forward.
In short, owners Joe Lacob and Peter Guber want to continue walking that fine line between short-term contention and long-term relevance. That is to say, avoiding selling off young players and draft pick assets for quick fixes.
As for Myers, he’s in line with Curry and the big three in wanting to go all in for yet another championship as this dynastic run nears its end. These are the backdrops as we look at three Golden State Warriors trade scenarios ahead of Thursday’s NBA trade deadline.
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Golden State Warriors bring in multiple Utah Jazz veterans
- Warriors get: Kelly Olynyk, Jarred Vanderbilt
- Jazz get: James Wiseman, Moses Moody, Patrick Baldwin Jr., 2 2nd-round pick
If the Warriors can add multiple rotation players without yielding a future first-round pick, it would seem to be a boon. While parting with three of their most-recent first-round picks could have long-term ramifications, adding Olynyk and Vanderbilt could help turn things around this season.
The 31-year-old Olynyk is a much better fit in Golden State’s system than Wiseman. He’s shooting 40% from three-point range this season and would open things up on offense. As for Vanderbilt, he’s in-demand leading up to the NBA trade deadline. Still only 23, the forward is averaging 8.3 points and 7.9 rebounds on 56% shooting from the field. It also helps that both of these players are under team control for multiple seasons, meaning that they wouldn’t be mere rentals.
From Utah’s perspective, it acquires three young players that could help the team continue its rebuild. A center is needed in Salt Lake City. And despite his injury issues, Wiseman still boasts a nice amount of upside. Moody could be a three-and-D wing option while Baldwin Jr. was among the most naturally-gifted players in the 2022 NBA Draft.
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Warriors acquire two bigs ahead of NBA trade deadline
- Warriors get: Mason Plumlee, Kai Jones
- Hornets get: James Wiseman, future 2nd-round pick
Bigs. Bigs. More bigs. You get the point, right? These Warriors continue to struggle on the defensive boards. Outside of Wiseman, the Warriors’ tallest player is Kevon Looney at 6-foot-9. It was an issue last season. But Golden State was able to overcome it to win a title primarily due to its perimeter play. With things slowing down in that regard, a change is needed here.
Any substantial deal for Golden State ahead of Thursday’s NBA trade deadline would have to include Wiseman. Simply put, the team can’t take on a salary without moving him. It’s in this that the Hornets get a young big man to team up with LaMelo Ball as the team navigates through a disastrous season and heads for a rebuild. Trading former first-round pick Kai Jones to pick up Wiseman while moving off Plumlee’s expiring contract would be a boon.
From Golden State’s perspective, it picks up a 6-foot-11 veteran in Plumlee who can provide that size off the bench. The former Duke star is averaging career-highs in points (12.3) and rebounds (9.7) while shooting 67% from the field. Add in a young big in that of Jones, and parting with Wiseman wouldn’t hurt so much.
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Warriors pull off blockbuster NBA trade deadline deal
- Warriors get: Mo Bamba, Cole Anthony
- Magic get: James Wiseman, Moses Moody, Patrick Baldwin Jr., 1st-round pick
Bamba has been the subject of trade rumors. It makes sense from Orlando’s perspective in that it has other youngsters in that of Wendell Carter Jr. and Moritz Wagner doing their thing at that position. Meanwhile, Anthony seen his minutes in decline with head coach Jamahl Mosley relying more on Markelle Fultz and Jalen Suggs. As such, both of these players are expendable.
In return, Orlando adds three potential rotational pieces to help build its growing young core. A first-round pick back in 2021, Moody has shown signs of being a good three-and-D wing. Baldwin was the Golden State Warriors’ first-round pick in 2022 and boasts untapped potential. Add in a future first-round pick, and this is a nice haul. None of this takes into account potential assets Orlando could receive for flipping Wiseman.
From Golden State’s perspective, it picks up two former first-round picks who are under team control through next season.
Anthony could run the second team with Jordan Poole manning the two-guard spot. Despite shooting issues (40%) throughout his career, the former North Carolina standout is a solid passer (4.8 assists per game). As for Bamba, it’s all about size. The 7-footer averaged 8.1 rebounds a season ago before seeing his role decrease in 2022-23.