News - Golden State Warriors - dazman
Reasoning Behind Recent Moves
The front office has shaken up the roster over the past couple of weeks. Golden State has shifted their focus to the future instead of trying to win it all this season.
When the front office changed leadership, this team was left in a difficult spot. Loads of talent at the top of the roster but little depth to surround those stars. Things have changed in a hurry. Gone are Kyrie Irving, Jerami Grant, and Moritz Wagner in their stead is a more well rounded roster that should provide a little more resistance to opposing offenses and a little deeper pick pool to restock or retool. Let's take a look at the reasoning behind each deal.
First up the Jerami Grant deal. An free-agent-to-be, Grant was the first player moved by new management. A very solid and dependable player, Grant averaged 15/4/3 over 54 games with the Dubs. That's a very nice bit of production to have from your third star but this summer needed to be taken into consideration. We all know the NBA Portland will do just about everything they can to put a competitive team around Dame, Grant certainly should be a part of that roster for the next few seasons. But Grant has already left a winning situation in search of money and a bigger role (can't say I blame him), what's to stop another team from swooping in and stealing him away. That led to a search for younger versions of Grant, the Clippers had just the man in P.J. Washington. With a little jump start from Shams this deal was completed fairly quickly. While PJ had a small role in LA, his opportunities will expand after moving up the coast. A free agent after this season as well, albeit an RFA, PJ could take his talents elsewhere. There's some risk with bringing PJ back but that should be very minimal at best. Making the drive the PJ was Duncan Robinson. Included mainly as contract filler, this front office isn't so sure we've seen the last of Duncan in the NBA. If Duncan can claw his way back into the Heat rotation, that nearly $20 million a year won't be so bad. Denver's 2025 first round pick (top five protected) was loaded into their trunk before the duo headed north. The war chest was left pretty empty so any future pick is a great value add to this organization.
After the smoke settled on the Grant deal, a small deal was made with New Orleans. Gone was Moritz Wagner (the lack of serviceable bigs on this roster could become a problem) in exchange for a trio of second round picks (Orlando 2023, New Orleans 2024, and Portland 2024). Wagner was a big piece of the frontcourt rotation and his absence might be an issue in the remaining games this season. But he is also on an expiring deal and getting any kind of value back from him was key. Those seconds will likely turn out to be a worse player the Moe is, but that's a chance we've all got to take.
Finally, the player everyone knew would be traded was. Kyrie Irving and everything that comes with him was sent to Brooklyn in a deal involving ten players. While I think Kyrie will remain in Dallas this off-season (there's too many conspiracy theories to leave after just a few months), there's a higher than zero change he goes wildcard. For that reason alone, Kyrie had to go. Going to Brooklyn with him are Derrick Jones Jr, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Oshae Brissett, and Mfiondu Kabengele the biggest loss there is NAW as he's still someone I think could evolve into a Jordan Clarkson kind of role. Making the long trip west are Khris Middleton, Herb Jones, Theo Maledon, Terry Taylor, and Dalano Banton, the prize of this return is of course Middleton and Herb. While Middleton has a very expensive player option for next season, he is only 31 and should have a few more years of great second/third guy in him left. Herb is in his second year and although in the NBA isn't shooting great, he's still a lockdown defender who can give the clamps to the best of 'em. Maledon, Taylor, and Banton (6-'9" PG!) were all interesting flyers that may or may not be a part of the rotation in a couple years.
The result of this flurry of moves is a deeper, more team centric roster that's powered by the cadre of switchable wings in the starting lineup. This new look will give Zach LaVine the chance to lead a team and show that he belongs in the All-Star conversation next year. Since none of our picks remain in-house, we'll need to focus on staying competitive in the present day as being bad won't bring the reward of a number one overall selection. That thinking is what guided the thinking behind these three trades and will do so for the foreseeable future as well.
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