Getty James Wiseman and Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors.
The February 9 trade deadline is almost here, and the Golden State Warriors need to make some big decisions regarding their approach to the rest of the year. It’s clear that some second-unit improvements are needed, and according to Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report, they need to trade James Wiseman.
“Here’s the list of Golden State Warriors who are making more money than James Wiseman this season: Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green.
“Here’s the list of Warriors who have contributed more win shares than Wiseman: Actually, for time constraints, I’ll spare you the full list and just let you know it’s 12 players long.
“This isn’t working. No matter how Golden State feels about his development, it clearly doesn’t trust him to contribute. And with Curry still in the heart of an all-time prime, the Warriors should be solely focused on right now. They have the top-level talent to compete for a title, but they have to fix the supporting cast. Sacrificing Wiseman’s potential for present production is a no-brainer,” Buckley wrote.
Just a couple of seasons ago, the Warriors selected Wiseman with the second-overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. They still have hope that he can develop, but so far this season, he’s been rough, and if they hope to compete for a title, upgrading from him should be a top priority.
Wiseman has been sent down to the G League multiple times this season. At the NBA level, Wiseman has appeared in just 19 of the team’s 50 games, playing 12.7 minutes per contest. The young big man has averaged 6.8 points and 3.6 rebounds on 60.9% shooting from the floor.
Steve Kerr Discusses James Wiseman Snub
Wiseman hasn’t been able to earn consistent minutes in head coach Steve Kerr’s rotation this year, and the most recent example of this came in the Warriors’ January 27 win over the Toronto Raptors. In the win, Kerr went to veteran JaMychal Green over Wiseman when Kevon Looney got into foul trouble, explaining his decision after the game.
“We just decided to go with JaMychal,” Kerr said via NBC Sports Bay Area. “You know, we thought about going with Wise, but JaMychal has been playing well in the last few games, and so we gave him those minutes. But James could find himself out there next game. You know, it’s it’s just day to day and just got to stay ready. Which he will.”
Warriors Considering Matisse Thybulle Trade
As Golden State weighs their options, there are plenty of players who they could consider trading for. According to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer, they are one of the teams potentially interested in a deal for Philadelphia 76ers wing Matisse Thybulle.
“Multiple NBA sources said the Golden State Warriors have had internal discussions about Thybulle and that they do like him as a defensive stopper,” Pompey wrote. “The Sacramento Kings are also reportedly monitoring his availability. A league source confirmed the interest, saying Kings coach Mike Brown is a fan of Thybulle, who would add a defensive presence to Sacramento’s starting lineup. The Kings (28-21), who surprisingly sit at third place in the Western Conference, are pondering upgrades for a postseason push after an NBA-record 16 straight seasons without a playoff appearance. The Kings’ and Warriors’ interest makes sense and is something to pay attention to.”