Sitting at 6-7 with several quality wins under their belt, the Oklahoma City Thunder have already proven they’re on the up-and-up.
But with no real path towards contention this season, general manager Sam Presti is likely looking, at least one more time, towards the NBA Draft to improve the team. And for that reason, continuing to lean on young player development is the current strategy for OKC.
That’s where the Golden State Warriors come in.
Mark J. Rebilas / USA TODAY Sports
With three DNP’s in his last four games, James Wiseman is a candidate that some have looked at to be on the trade block.
The defending champion Golden State Warriors, to put it bluntly, have underachieved so far this season. At 5-8, they’ve yet to win a road game, and it’s clear that there are some meshing issues that haven’t yet been addressed.
The Dubs are an odd mix of veterans and up-and-coming players. With likely MVP-candidate Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green as the dynastic core, and Jonathan Kuminga, James Wiseman and Jordan Poole as the group on the rise.
It’s nice to have both a past and a future, but the Warriors are stuck somewhere in the middle. Fairly soon, there’s going to be a fork in the road where they’ll have to choose which group to lean into.
But for now, there’s some middle ground to be had for Golden State. Wiseman hasn’t been the best fit so far, but is someone that Presti could very much envision next to No. 2 overall pick Chet Holmgren in the Thunder front court of the future.
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For now, at least, it’s safe to say Wiseman is the most expendable of Golden State’s future pieces.
If the Warriors brass want to lean into the fading championship core for a few last rides, the Thunder have some veterans they’d likely be willing to part with in exchange for future assets.
Here’s what a deal between the two teams could look like:
Oklahoma City gets: James Wiseman
Golden State gets: Mike Muscala, Kenrich Williams, 2025 Miami Heat First Round Selection,
With Muscala and Williams, the Warriors would get an injection of shooting and defensive versatility mixed with hustle play, respectively. On top of giving the Dubs a few more weapons, Presti could add on one or more picks to sweeten the deal.
It’s not likely a flashy return that Warriors fans would get excited about, but it’s one that would increase their title chances this year. And with under 50 games played in three seasons, Wiseman likely won’t fetch the asking price they have in mind.
The Thunder grabbed Wiseman, who next to Holmgren for the foreseeable future, could thrive as a true No. 5 and help defender while cashing in on easy buckets.
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