The departure of Kevin Durant from the Golden State Warriors came at no surprise. Rumors and speculation had become so rampant at the time that it was only a matter of when, rather than if. A ton of drama surrounded Durant in his final season with talks of mismanagement with regards to his injuries, clashing heads with Draymond Green, guesswork of him wanting to team up with Kyrie Irving elsewhere, and many more.

Eventually, a deal was structured where the Warriors acquired D'Angelo Russell, Traveon Graham, and Shabazz Napier, while the Nets received Durant. Here, we take a deeper look at what the Warriors really got out of the Kevin Durant-D'Angelo Russell trade.

1. Better than nothing

It is important to note that the Warriors could have lost Durant and gained nothing back in return, which is why they didn't have much leverage to work with on this deal. Therefore, the fact that the Warriors were able to receive an up-and-coming player in Russell, sparked new hope in the franchise. However, after just 33 games, the Warriors sent Russell to the Timberwolves in exchange for Andrew Wiggins, a 2021 top-3 protected first-round pick, and a 2021 second-round pick. Rather than losing Durant for nothing, the front office was able to make some moves that have positioned itself better heading into the next few seasons. This gives them the option of either utilizing Wiggins as a wing along with bagging a top draft pick or packaging the two to create another robust trade. Either way, management is in a position of power.

2. Wiggins > Russell

When it comes down to pure talent, Russell was definitely the superior player compared to Wiggins. However, Wiggins may be a slightly better fit. This is because Russell’s success in Brooklyn was tied to him handling the ball at the top of the key and running pick and rolls, which is essentially the opposite of the Warriors’ motion offense. In contrast, Wiggins fills a position of need on the wing and he is a better defender than Russell. He also shot 36% on catch-and-shoot 3s this season which can have a place within the offense. For trading purposes, Wiggins can also match a good chunk of salary in the acquisition of a player with a better fit. If ever the 2021 top-3 protected first-round pick was thrown into the mix, then it can possibly land a top-notch player like Karl-Anthony Towns or Joel Embiid.

3. Promising future

As of today, the warriors have a promising core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, and Draymond Green. While this is certainly no ‘Hampton 5' or ‘Death Lineup', the fact that Wiggins can possibly contribute to the original core before Durant came into the picture, speaks volumes of what this team can achieve. On the other hand, should the Warriors decide to trade their 2020 lottery first-round pick, the Timberwolves' 2021 top-3 protected pick, or even both, they can surely land a high-caliber player as well. Or they can draft a promising prospect normally and flip the said player (along with the 2021 pick) on a sign-and-trade package with any of the available free agents like Montrezl Harrell, Andre Drummond, Brandon Ingram, or Gordon Hayward, then that will be an even scarier sight.

At the end of the day, the Warriors still have what it takes to dominate the league once again, they just need to make the right moves.