Getty Golden State Warriors star Andrew Wiggins warms up prior to Game 6 of the 2022 NBA Finals versus the Boston Celtics.
“Winning solves everything” is a phrase oft uttered in NBA circles and, for the most part, it’s a concept that feels true. Case in point: the Golden State Warriors‘ Andrew Wiggins-Jordan Poole dilemma.
Before the Dubs won the championship, capologists would have told you that there’s no way that the team can keep both players long-term, and a gut-wrenching choice would have to be made sooner rather than later. Fast-forward to now, and Golden State is seemingly on the verge of signing both players to massive extensions.
Truth be told, though, tough decisions still have to be made. Even after Wiggins and Poole get sorted, team president Bob Myers and his brain trust have Klay Thompson and Draymond Green to consider, not to mention a slew of talented youngsters further down the line.
At some point, something has to give.
So, in an effort to get out in front of the situation — rather than kicking the can down the road — we’re pitching a deadline trade featuring Wiggins as its centerpiece.
Wiggins Heads to the Magic Kingdom
Make no mistake — Wiggins has earned his bag for playing a pivotal role in the Warriors’ title run last season and, at long last, shaking his rep as a top pick gone awry. That doesn’t mean that the Dubs should be the ones paying him $30 million-plus annually for the next several years.
Instead, Golden State can reward him for his efforts, give him a victory lap over the first few months of next season and then do what needs to be done at the deadline and make this move with the Magic:
- Orlando Magic receive G/F Andrew Wiggins
- Golden State Warriors PG Markelle Fultz and PF Jonathan Isaac
One might say that Fultz would give the Warriors the opportunity to rehabilitate another No. 1 pick’s image. The truth of the matter, though, is that Fultz has already been doing that.
The 24-year-old has battled injuries in recent years but when he’s been on the floor, he’s shown major flair as a playmaker. During his last full season with the Magic in 2019-20, he averaged 12.1 points, 5.1 assists, 3.3 rebounds and 1.3 steals per contest. And those numbers have largely held true over the seasons that have ensued.
If anything, Fultz was even more effective as a quarterback in 18 games last season, boasting an eye-popping assist percentage of 48.9.
He could be the true point that the Dubs have lacked behind Steph Curry recently. In turn, Poole would step into Wiggins’ old spot in the starting five (where he belongs).
The Dubs would find themselves free of Wiggins’ extended contract as well, having replaced it with a pair of much more managable, shorter-term pacts.
Meanwhile, Fultz’s exit would clear some additional minutes for Jalen Suggs and Cole Anthony in Orlando’s backcourt. And Wiggins would become the All-Star and championship player to help show them, Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and the rest of the Magic’s prospects how to win (while still being young enough to be part of that core himself).
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Isaac Is the Boom or Bust Play
The biggest question mark in this proposal is Isaac, who has been out for two years after tearing his ACL. However, in a recent interview with OrlandoMagic.com, the former No. 6 overall pick indicated that there was finally “light at the end of the tunnel” in regards to a return.
By making this trade at the deadline, the Warriors would be able to monitor his progress on the court over the course of the first half of the 2022-23 season. If he can be anything like he was before the injury, he could be an incredible asset to the team.
Standing at 6-foot-11 with a 7-foot wingspan, Isaac takes up a ton of space out on the court. That, combined with his motor, athleticism and switchability defensively make him a problem for opposing teams; someone who can take on toughest defensive assignments regardless of position.
Then, on the other end, he’s the rare big who shows potential as both a floor-stretcher and a rim-runner. Over 34 games in ’19-20, Isaac averaged 11.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.3 blocks and 1.6 steals while shooting 34% from three-point range and logging 37 dunks.
Time will tell what he has left in him, though.
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