Getty Jonathan Kuminga drives the ball in a game against the Detroit Pistons.
The Golden State Warriors telegraphed their trade-deadline approach since the earliest days of the season, with ownership and top front-office brass making it clear that they would be holding onto their promising young players and avoiding any big moves.
Now, that approach is coming under fire as the Warriors have dealt with injuries to some key members of the frontcourt and have been slumping since the start of the year. The Ringer’s Bill Simmons took the Warriors to task for not addressing their need for size at the trade deadline, saying the decision could come back to haunt them in the playoffs.
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Warriors Slammed for Holding Steady
Speaking on The Bill Simmons Podcast, the NBA analyst said injuries to Draymond Green and James Wiseman leave the Warriors vulnerable to teams with a strong center. He hinted that the Denver Nuggets and reigning MVP Nikola Jokic could be yearning for a playoff matchup with the shorthanded Warriors.
“Golden State didn’t do anything at the trade deadline to address a couple of playoff situations in these rounds, and I don’t really fully understand it,” Simmons said. “Because to me, they’re not big enough. Unless they are really convinced that Wiseman can come back, but what we saw from Wiseman last year, I don’t feel like he’s necessarily reliable in a playoff series even if he’s healthy. I just think they have too many guards and not enough size.”
The Warriors made it clear that they did not want to part with the young players who could be top trade targets, including Wiseman and rookie Jonathan Kuminga. Simmons noted that Kuminga is very talented but in need of more playing time, suggesting that the Warriors commit to giving him more time on the court and not worrying about where they might land in the playoff bracket.
“So I think if I’m Golden State, I’m punting on the two seed. I’m trying to get Kuminga the reps. I’m trying to figure out what I have from Klay these next couple of weeks,” Simmons said. “If I’m Golden State, I don’t even care [about the seed]. I’m saving miles on Steph. I want to know what I have with Kuminga, and I want to know what I have with Klay. And then I hope Draymond can come back and be healthy. But the days of like, we have to get the two seed. I think that’s done. You set that one adrift.”
Most points in a game by a teenager in Warriors franchise history:
1. Moses Moody (30)
2. Jonathan Kuminga (26)
3. James Wiseman (25)
Help on the Way
The Warriors could soon be getting their size back. Green has announced this week that after missing close to two months, his return is now in sight.
“I am targeting my return next Monday, [March] 14 versus the [Washington] Wizards. I am excited as hell. It’s been two and a half months,” Green said via Twitter. “I’ve never missed that much time during [a] season. I have once had an ankle injury that kept me out for a very long time in high school, but it was the offseason, so this is something different for me. I’m extremely excited to get back out there with my guys to try to help right this ship.”
Second-year center James Wiseman will play in a pair of Santa Cruz Warriors games as he has been cleared to progress to the next stage of his rehabilitation, Golden State announced on Tuesday.
Wiseman is also getting closer to returning, with the team announcing on Tuesday that he is cleared to play in a pair of G League games. The exact date of his return to Golden State remains unclear.
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Analyst Slams Warriors for Puzzling Trade-Deadline Decision