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As the 2022 NBA Trade Deadline came and went, many teams changed their course. The Portland Trail Blazers went into a complete rebuild, while the Indiana Pacers finally traded away two of the three players they wanted to since the start of the season. However, one team was very silent. The Golden State Warriors are playing great basketball but the view is that they can still get even better. With a few options, they decided to stand still, which might be an error in itself. However, there was one thing they should have done, and not pulling the trigger might be the Warriors’ biggest mistake at the 2022 NBA Trade Deadline.
Warriors’ biggest 2022 NBA trade deadline mistake
As things stand, it could be considered a mistake-free period or even season for the former champions. They have one of the top four places in the West locked up with great chances to get the first seed from the Phoenix Suns. While Steph Curry has slowed down, others have pulled their weight and managed to keep the Warriors in place. Still, when a great team can become an even greater one, especially a team that has some underutilized resources on the squad, it can be viewed as a mistake not to utilize them to the fullest. In that context, the Warriors' biggest 2022 NBA Trade Deadline mistake might be not trading one of their young guns for instant help.
When it comes to the young guys on the roster, there are three key players. Unfortunately, the one they put the most trust in and the second pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, James Wiseman has been dealing with a knee injury since the start of the season. Still, the Warriors have his rookie year to show to potential buyers on the market. He averaged 11 points and six boards, shot a fairly efficient 51.9% from the field, and added a 31.6% three-point clip, albeit on just one attempt per game. However, it is fairly understandable why the Dubs still want to wait for their center of the future and why some were vary of trading for him.
The cases of Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody are different. Both have had their shots this season, but did not make an impact, albeit in limited time. Kuminga has been more successful, averaging 7.6 points in around 13 minutes of action. Moody, on the other hand, completely missed his shot in the regular season, getting around 9.4 minutes per game and shooting an abysmal 38.1% from the field. Clearly, both are just taking up roster spaces that could have been filled with players that could make an instant impact for a squad that is getting a run at the title, most likely.
Still, just like in the case of Wiseman, there can be some understanding about the way the Warriors handled this situation. While they are non-factors right now, both Moody and Kuminga might be major pieces for the future Warriors teams. That can be very healthy thinking, especially in this volatile era of the NBA where championship teams collapse in a few seasons. However, with the age of Curry, the injury situation of Klay Thompson, and the ineffectiveness of Draymond Green if he is not in the right system, this might be the last or second-to-last season where the Dubs get a title.
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If we assume that Wiseman can be a major star in the future, that would be the Warriors' insurance for the future. Kuminga and Moody are solid prospects, with Kuminga probably more regarded in the NBA circles, but they are not near the potential of Wiseman. When this current core of the Warriors dissolves due to age and injuries, the Warriors would not even need Kuminga and Moody. It would be good to have them, of course, but they can fill out the roster with other players that could help them.
If the Warriors have a poor season, they have all their picks, except for 2024, where the pick is going to the Grizzlies, if it is outside of the top four, according to Pro Sports Transactions. Also, they play in a huge market, are an incredibly healthy organization, and now have a championship resume. All of these factors suggest that the Warriors can rebuild on the fly, not waiting for Kuminga and Moody to fully develop.
It is also worth noting that it is difficult to gauge what exactly they could have got in exchange for these two prospects. There was some interest in Jusuf Nurkic of the Trail Blazers, and he could have been brought in by just one of these Warriors youngsters. It would be a rental since his contract is expiring at the end of this season, but he would be the instant center help that the team needs. Also, they could go for reinforcements in other parts of their squad and trade for someone like Serge Ibaka, who ended up in championship rivals Los Angeles Clippers.
There were many options and it is difficult to say this about such a well-ran organization, but the potential of the move suggests that not trading one of their youngsters for instant help for this season might be the Warriors’ biggest mistake at the 2022 NBA Trade Deadline.
