(11-17-2022, 08:00 AM)OutsiderFan Wrote: it seems the obvious move is to trade Wiggins for Kevin Durant, if your priority is to win another championship more than try to balance two timelines. The problem is Wiggins just signed an extension, so can't be traded. Neither can Poole for the same reason.
This is a big problem because Wiggins is the only player the Warriors could trade that works with Durant. Perhaps the Warriors screwed up by signing Wiggins to his extension when they did, but they also didn't want him to test Free Agency.
Other than that, the only trade that works and makes sense is Wiseman and Kuminga for Durant. But then, how do you play Wiggins? Off the bench?
This would give you a lineup of:
C Looney
PF Green
SF Durant
SG Thompson
PG Curry
Second unit:
C J. Green
PF Lamb
SG Wiggins/ Moody
SG DiVincenzo/ Moody
PG Poole
Iguodala waiting in the wings.
That might actually win another championship.
The only thing that lineup lacks is a big Center, that the Warriors won a championship with last season.
Might make sense for the Warriors and Durant to swallow their pride (Warriors on two timelines/Durant going back to W's after failing in Brooklyn) and chase another ring
Wiseman and Kuminga for Durant? You have to be kidding. Maybe Giants should trade Wade and Gonzalez for Harper…..
(11-17-2022, 06:29 AM)Mick Wrote: Perfect storm brewing. I think it's a few things:
1) Thompson is off his game, comparatively out of shape, scared to test his legs, so his once-well tuned shot is now out of tune. If Thompson was at his normally self, they'd have 2-4 fewer losses and 2-4 more wins.
2) The Warriors are older, collectively.
3) No one is doing the thankless, defensive work. Either they can't or won't play defense.
4) When the Warriors had Durant, they were close to invincible. Durant's luster dimmed Draymond's star, and Draymond couldn't stand it, so he did what he could to eliminate him. It worked. They replaced Durant with a few not-ready-for-primetime players until they came across Wiggins. Wiggins was a near-perfect support player in a way that Harrison Barnes really wasn't.
5) The Warriors supporting players aren't as good as they were in prior years. Bogut. GP2. Otto Porter. Mark West. Livingston. The Warriors backups aren't nearly as good as their prior backups, which means the starters can't rest as much.
6) The Warriors' lottery picks (Wiseman, Kuminga, Moody) aren't ready for primetime, and it really, really shows. Kuminga pouted like crazy when he was in Santa Cruz, and essentially refuses to learn defense. And he's starting from far behind, but as far behind as he is, Wisemen is so far behind, he probably needs the rest of the season in Santa Cruz.
7) Poole is overrated. He doesn't play defense, he's streaky on offense, and he's a fragile player. That's why he works so well with the starters and so poorly with the backups.
Steph senses all of this, and has taken on the scoring responsibilities for himself. He's had too. This will be a non-playoff team. If they trade Kuminga and Wiseman for a young star, not a hurt older center like Anthony Davis. I doubt it will happen, Myers has too much invested in the parallel timelines. Neither Thompson nor Green will get extended, both are offering too little.
Why would anyone trade a “young star” for Wiseman and Kuminga. Neither have shown they can play. Maybe if a team is tanking…..