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For a while, it really did seem like the Golden State Warriors, as much as it would have cost them in terms of luxury tax payments, would hang onto James Wiseman like their lives depended on it. After all, giving up on the second overall pick of the 2020 NBA Draft just three years into his career is a heartbreaking thought to even consider on multiple levels.
First of all, it hurts that the Warriors drafted the wrong prospect. And second, it's a certainty that the Warriors wanted Wiseman to flourish in the Bay Area, so his struggles weren't the easiest to watch for the Warriors brass.
Nevertheless, well-run businesses (or NBA franchises for that matter) don't succumb to the sunk cost fallacy too often. Trading away the 21-year old center would have netted them millions in luxury tax savings. Thus, the Warriors' decision to trade away James Wiseman isn't the least bit surprising, a shrewd move that should only help both the Warriors and Wiseman moving forward.
Adding Gary Payton II in the fallout is also a terrific move on multiple levels. Payton played a vital role in the Warriors' run to the NBA championship last year; he was a great point-of-attack defender, he was money on open threes, particularly from the corner, his cutting ability was extremely valuable to an offensive system predicated on movement off the ball, and his hustle and energy on the glass saved tons of possessions for the eventual champions.
But for a team that made a win-now move in that vein, the Warriors missed a huge opportunity to strengthen their team even further as Stephen Curry recovers from a knee injury. This could be the Warriors' biggest mistake at the 2023 NBA trade deadline.
Warriors' biggest mistake: Failing to go all-in for OG Anunoby
Some fans may think that the Dubs' biggest mistake was choosing to pass on Saddiq Bey, a 23-year old forward with a bit of room to grow still. However, Bey, as capable as he is of explosive scoring nights, is an inefficient chucker from downtown. His reputation as a sharpshooter precedes his actual production on the court; he is only making 1.9 triples on 5.6 attempts per night for a subpar 34.5 percent – a mark below league average.
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Thus, adding Gary Payton II remains the smarter move, especially when the Warriors return to full strength. But if the Warriors are adding pieces that help them win basketball games at present, then it's difficult to see why they hesitated to trade for OG Anunoby.
The Toronto Raptors are looking for a godfather-level offer for the 25-year old forward, their reported asking price being three first-round picks in addition to other salary filler. It slowly became evident that the Raptors wouldn't budge on their demands, but the Warriors appeared hell-bent on changing their minds mere hours before the NBA trade deadline.
However, the Warriors did not want to relinquish Jonathan Kuminga in a potential trade for OG Anunoby. Moreover, given the Warriors' tricky cap situation, they would have had to give up Moses Moody, Donte DiVincenzo, and JaMychal Green (or Kevon Looney and JaMychal Green) just so they could match Anunoby's salary. That would gut the Warriors' already-questionable depth, and that doesn't even take into account that they would have to give up their 2026 and 2028 first rounders.
But Stephen Curry is already 34 years old. As much as the Warriors try to set themselves up for a contending future without their superstar, the pieces they have in place at the moment aren't nearly enough to act as a strong foundation for their future. Thus, getting pieces that would help them win now is imperative, lest they end up wasting the remaining elite years of Curry's career.
Jonathan Kuminga has shown flashes of being a plus defender and being a solid scorer. But that's all they've been – flashes. Kuminga has yet to put together a consistent stretch of high impact games. Sure, he is only 20 years old, and he has tons of room to grow. Giving him up would be tough to stomach for a team that had invested tons of resources into developing the young forward.
But OG Anunoby is literally Defensive Player of the Year material; he takes on the toughest defensive assignments on a nightly basis and is an elite contributor on every facet of defense. He can shut down elite scorers in isolation, he plays passing lanes extremely well, and he protects the rim at an elite level for a 6'7 forward. He's not just your simple above-average defender; there's a case for him being the best perimeter defender there is in today's NBA.
A defense with Anunoby, Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins, and Gary Payton II will be the stuff of opposing offenses' nightmares. Even Klay Thompson in his declined state can ramp it up on defense when needed. A lineup of Curry, Thompson, Anunoby, Wiggins, and Green would have sent shivers down other contending teams' spines.
Adding Anunoby would have allowed the Warriors to reignite their defensive identity which should eventually lead to their rise atop the standings. Losing depth would hurt, but the Dubs could have pursued some options on the buyout market had they pulled the trigger on an Anunoby trade. Alas, these are all what-ifs now.
