Getty James Wiseman drives to the hoop during a summer league bout between the Golden State Warriors and the San Antonio Spurs.
Outside of adding Donte DiVincenzo to take over Gary Payton II’s old spot off the bench, the Golden State Warriors have done little to change their roster this summer, and maybe that’s a good thing. After all, the team won the NBA championship last season.
Moreover, former lottery picks James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody are expected to absorb a lot of the minutes that were vacated in the second unit. And all three look to have star potential.
On the other hand, there’s a thought that the Dubs could use more size, more defense and more of a veteran presence for their title defense. Unfortunately, the club’s wild luxury tax situation precludes it from offering more than the veteran’s minimum to find those things.
If the Warriors do decide they need a little something extra in the second unit, the trade market may provide a better avenue toward bringing it in. To that end, one hoops scribe just pitched a deal that checks all of the aforementioned boxes.
Warriors Could Make a Play for Favors & ‘Kenny Hustle’
With the free agent frenzy all but over, Zach Buckley’s latest feature for Bleacher Report instead focused on the trade market and it included a hypothetical deal for every team in the Association. This is what was proposed for the Warriors:
- Oklahoma City Thunder receive C James Wiseman
- Golden State Warriors receive F/C Derrick Favors, F Kenrich Williams and a 2024 first-round pick (via HOU, top-four protected)
While owner Joe Lacob, team president Bob Myers and the rest of the Warriors brain trust seem to be all-in on their dual timeline approach and the current roster, Buckley hinted that some within the organization are nonetheless open to additional moves. Even if those moves don’t exactly jibe with the youth movement at large.
“While the Warriors seem mostly content to play the long game with Wiseman and the rest of their youth, you wonder whether that sentiment is shared throughout the franchise,” Buckley wrote, noting that they were considered possible suitors for Rudy Gobert at one point, not to mention Kevin Durant.
In lieu of adding another star to the Warriors’ mix here, Buckley elected to cash in on Wiseman for a quality backup big and a frontcourt jack of all trades to aid in the championship chase next season. Meanwhile, the team also adds some draft capital that could eventually become another talented youngster.
No future flexibility is sacrificed, either, as both Favors and Williams are on expiring contracts.
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What They Bring on the Court
Four or five years ago, Favors was a high-level defensive big man. His pairing with Rudy Gobert gave the Jazz one of the most intimidating fronts the league has ever seen. Thanks to their combined efforts, Utah led the NBA in D-rating during the 2017-18 campaign at 103.0.
Along the way, opponents were held to just 96.8 points per 100 possessions when the two shared the court.
Now, though, Favors has lost some hops and mobility — and he no longer has an all-world defender in Gobert beside him. But the 30-year-old remains a solid rebounder with paint presence, a decent mid-range game and incredible pick-and-roll awareness on both sides of the ball. Last season, he averaged 11.4 points and 10.1 rebounds per 36 minutes.
The 27-year-old Williams, meanwhile, is coming off a year in which he averaged 7.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.2 assists per contest. Also, opposing players’ field-goal percentages dropped by 7.2% on average within six feet of the hoop when he was the closest defender.
Wrote Buckley: “Williams could be a real find if his three-ball bounces back (33.9 percent last season, 44.4 the year prior). He defends all over the court and never runs short on energy.”
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