Warriors trading two young players, James Wiseman and Moses Moody
Following the addition of three lottery selections in 2020 and 2021, Joe Lacob and the Golden State Warriors have adopted a “two timelines” strategy: they wanted to compete now while also restocking the team for the future. One of the deadlines now is shortened this week.
In the previous season, the tactic was a complete success. While 2021 lottery picks Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody both helped to the Warriors’ championship, even in the playoffs, 2020 No. 2 pick James Wiseman missed the entire season due to a damaged meniscus and repeated knee operations.
The Warriors, though, increased their focus on the youth movement this year. Lacob and Myers replaced the five veterans that left the team in free agency with two veterans (Donte DiVincenzo and JaMychal Green), two rookies selected at Nos. 28 and No. 44, and an open roster position. Due to their appalling lack of bench depth, the Warriors were forced to rely primarily on Anthony Lamb and Ty Jerome, two-way players.
Ryan Rollins missed the beginning of the season due to a foot injury, and now a Jones fracture has forced him to miss the entire season. Patrick Baldwin Jr. possesses a brilliant outside shot. Still, after only appearing in two games his senior year of high school and 11 games in college, he was always going to be a long-term project (I won’t try to explain it medically, but Kevin Durant missed most of the 2014–15 season when he had one).
Those two are secure, while Kuminga has a solid rotation spot. The veteran core isn’t getting any younger, and Moody and Wiseman play very infrequently, so the two young players have lost their value. This year, Moody’s turnovers have more than doubled, and Steve Kerr no longer trusts him. Even the G League was used to send him.
Is it too early to give up on Moody, a 20-year-old? Maybe, but Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson don’t have many years to develop into elite players. In addition, Moody has a higher trade value due to his more minor contract and the fact that he has more NBA experience than Wiseman.
For Wiseman, a new environment where he can play and escape some of the enormous expectations of fans and the team is what he needs. The Warriors will always remember him as the player they selected before All-Star LaMelo Ball.
It doesn’t hurt that the Warriors, who have reached their salary cap, would prefer to avoid paying him this year’s $9.6 million and, especially, next year’s $12.1 million. Additionally, he is the only non-rotation player who might earn the same amount as a particular veteran level.
They couldn’t possibly give up on Wiseman. The only challenging aspect might be the embarrassment of failing to select the No. 2 player. But many clubs who were picked second in the draft have experienced that! Memphis took Hasheem Thabeet AND Stromile Swift. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Derrick Williams, Jabari Parker, and Darko Milicic, the Human Victory Cigar. Considering Wiseman having a successful career is not out of the question. However, it’s getting harder and harder to picture it occurring in San Francisco.
Overall, the Warriors still have a small chance of making a deadline move since they infrequently do. It is highly noteworthy that at least two of their young players appear vulnerable.
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