The Golden State Warriors are coming off an incredibly impressive title run. The franchise's core secured its fourth ring in the past eight seasons and this one seemed to mean a little bit more to the group. Their resume for having one of the best stretches of organizational success speaks for itself. However, there is no time to rest on their laurels as teams around the NBA have each made some moves to improve their chances of taking down the defending champs moving forward. Here are two trades the Warriors should consider as they look to cement their best chances of repeating their title again next season.
2. Swapping Young Players with the Miami Heat
Warriors Get: Duncan Robinson, Nikola Jovic, 2023 first-round pick
Heat Get: James Wiseman, Moses Moody, Patrick Baldwin Jr
While you can never count out the Heat from overachieving, the franchise seems destined for a step back this season. They have not made any major moves to increase their chances and lost PJ Tucker in free agency. While Nikola Jovic impressed in summer league after the Heat selected him with the 27th pick in the most recent draft, it is unclear what type of role he will play this season. The Heat have a number of talented players who struggle on the defensive side of the ball and Jovic may fit into this category. Duncan Robinson is a player who certainly does and saw his minutes cut greatly last season as a result of this.
Despite inking a new contract in the offseason, Robinson almost entirely fell out of Miami's playoff rotation. He went from averaging 31.4 minutes per game in 2020-21 to 25.98 minutes per game in 2021-22 and just 12.2 minutes per game in the playoffs. With four years remaining and an average salary of $18 million per year on the table, it would not be a surprise if Miami looks to move on.
Duncan Robinson would be a superstar in the Warriors system. His impressive off-ball movement and shooting ability would flourish in the Warriors' style of play and perhaps further unlock his game. Nikola Jovic would also be an intriguing long-term developmental piece that seems to hold a number of the same qualities. While giving up three of their young players would be a large haul, the Warriors would also get back a first-round pick and still have their intentions of contending this season. The strong play of Kevon Looney has made James Wiseman more disposable and it is unclear what type of belief Golden State still has for him. He has played a total of just 39 games since being drafted second overall in 2020.
The Heat are in need of some sort of shake-up and this could be a move that benefits both teams. Adding Wiseman could create some flexibility with their rotations and allow Bam Adebayo to play minutes at power forward which would create matchup issues for the opposition. Look for the Warriors to lean into this type of value and add win-now talent as a result.
1. Trail Blazers Make a Win-Now Move
Warriors Get: Jerami Grant, Josh Hart, Shaedon Sharpe
Trail Blazers Get: Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga
There cannot be much more said about the importance of Andrew Wiggins to the Warriors last season. He was arguably the team's most important two-way player as he did a terrific job matching up with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown in the Finals. Wiggins squashed a variety of negative perceptions surrounding his game and made a very positive impact on the team last season. He also has become a desired asset around the league as a result.
While Wiggins is a great fit for the Warriors, he also is entering the final year of his contract and will be an unrestricted free agent at the conclusion of this season. Rebuilding his value was a major goal in his time in Golden State and it would not be a surprise if he is seeking a max deal as he enters the prime of his career. With so much money tied up in Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and soon-to-be Jordan Poole, the Warriors may simply be unable to afford this. Trading Wiggins and getting value in return would make some sense.
As the Trail Blazers look to take a massive step forward and contend this season, this is the type of trade that would appeal to them. It would be a massive success for the Warriors to add Jerami Grant and Josh Hart to contribute in the short term. Shaedon Sharpe is also an intriguing long-term developmental piece to add. The seventh overall pick could become a key piece of the franchise's long-term future and would benefit greatly from learning the Warriors' system.
While moving on from Andrew Wiggins would not be ideal, the franchise has a better feel of his intentions moving forward. If he is seeking a high-priced deal that the Warriors cannot afford, getting this type of return for him now makes a great deal of sense and would be best for the franchise moving forward.
Follow Us
Subscribe