Getty Andrew Wiggins of the Golden State Warriors.
The Golden State Warriors could see some action at the February 9 trade deadline. With Kyrie Irving requesting a trade from the Brooklyn Nets, some have speculated that Kevin Durant could be next. NBC Sports believes the Warriors could be a potential landing spot, with Draymond Green and Andrew Wiggins filling out the framework of the deal.
“Such a deal would put the Warriors in a tough situation as they’d have to send a big contract back, and Green and Andrew Wiggins probably make the most sense over Jordan Poole,” wrote NBC Sports. “Departing with a cohort of youngsters like James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody, to name a few, might be a necessity, too.”
Durant spent three seasons with the Warriors from 2017 to 2019, winning two championships in the process. He ditched Golden State in favor of the Nets in the 2019 offseason and has been there ever since.
Bringing him back into the fold could help propel the Warrior toward the top of the Western Conference standings amid a season of disappointment. Golden State is currently 26-26 on the season, which is good for eighth place in the West.
Before going down with an MCL injury, Durant was putting together an MVP-caliber season for the Nets. He has appeared in 39 of the team’s 51 games this year and is playing 36.0 minutes per contest. Durant is averaging 29.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game on 55.9% shooting from the floor and 37.6% shooting from behind the three-point line.
Trading Wiggins could be a point of hesitancy for the Warriors. They just extended him this past offseason, and, at just 27 years old, could be a long-term piece in Golden State.
Warriors Urged to Trade Draymond Green
As for Green, he may be a bit easier to part ways with. Even regardless of his past relationship with Durant, he has a player option for next year that he is widely expected to decline. Sources who spoke with Sean Deveney of Heavy Sports believe the Warriors should trade Green ahead of the February 9 deadline.
“They should [trade him this year],” a Western Conference executive told Deveney “If they made the decision that they’re not giving up any of the young kids, then that’s fine, but are you going to just keep chugging forward with what you’ve got? Obviously, the Draymond punch with Poole was a bigger deal than they let on, it is still dragging down that team. No doubt about it.”
Warriors Have ‘Painful Decisions’ to Make
With the current state of the team and the trade deadline just a few days away, the Warriors need to decide on what to do, and according to Daniel Thorpe of True Hoop, there are some “painful decisions” in their future.
“There’s an argument, of course, for the Warriors to exercise patience through the postseason,” Thorpe wrote. “Don’t forget that their starting five from last June—[Stephen] Curry, [Klay] Thompson, Wiggins, Green, Looney—has the second-best net rating among all starting lineups this season. Maybe the young guys can figure it out. If not, take a first-round loss on the chin, and then put everyone but Curry up for grabs this summer. They could renovate quickly by cashing in on big names, even if it cost them next-stage darlings like Poole, Wiggins, or Kevon Looney. Not sure how Dubs Nation would feel about that, but no matter what happens, painful decisions are coming.”