Getty Steven Adams and Jusuf Nurkic go head-to-head during a game between the Memphis Grizzlies and the Portland Trail Blazers.
Whether or not the Golden State Warriors would ever consider cashing in on James Wiseman to acquire a veteran paint presence remains to be seen. At the trade deadline, though, Bob Myers and Co. seemed perfectly content to roll with the former No. 2 pick as the team’s only seven-footer.
This much is certain — their lacking a true win-now pivot limits the Dubs’ options in combatting the star centers they’ll likely see in the playoffs. Wiseman, of course, has been shut down for the year, leaving Draymond Green and Kevon Looney with a particularly tall task down low.
And looking ahead, there are serious questions about whether Wiseman will ever be able to stay healthy, let alone live up to his massive potential.
As such, there’s a notion out there that Golden State needs to get something out of the 21-year-old while they still can. To that end, a league exec has an idea about who the team could pursue.
West Exec: Grizzlies Center Could Be the Guy
With Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Green all being significantly closer to the end of their careers than the beginning, it may behoove the Warriors to bring in a stone-cold five-man with two-way chops to maximize their title window.
If they do decide to make a run at such a player, one Western Conference exec told Heavy.com’s Sean Deveney that Steven Adams could be a strong option.
“Getting the salaries to match would be tricky but if the Warriors gave up Wiseman and their first-rounder, they’d be close,” the exec said. “If you can get Adams in Golden State, with his rebounding and, especially, his interior passing, it is a solid fit.”
Adams is currently averaging a cool 7.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game with Memphis. Moreover, his contract wouldn’t over-encumber the team. The 28-year-old is set to earn $17.9 million next season, after which he’ll become an unrestricted free agent.
In the meantime, his paint presence on both sides of the ball and underrated ability as a facilitator would be a boon for the title-chasing Warriors.
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A Fit for the Grizz?
According to the exec, Adams’ future in Memphis is anything but set, even as he has played a key role in the club’s big shift from being the plucky upstart to a legitimate title contender this season.
“It is hard to say what the Grizzlies are going to do long-term with Steven Adams,” the exec said. “He has been great for them this year, but it is a young group and if they have a center who can grow with them, that is something they have to think about.”
Of course, Wiseman’s timeline isn’t the only thing that could work in his favor with Memphis. There’s also the fact he already spent time there as a collegiate baller.
“Obviously, there is a James Wiseman connection in Memphis even if he did not play there in college, there is still some affection for him.”
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Warriors Urged to Pursue 9-Year Vet, Standout Pivot: Exec