With the NBA trade deadline about 24 hours away, things are heating up for teams looking to raise their championship aspirations for the final stretch of the 2023-24 season.
Change seemed possible and even necessary at one point for the Warriors during a frustratingly unstable season, but the chatter has died down a bit in recent days. However, it's the NBA – and anything can happen.
Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins has been one player consistently thrown into the mix, and he remains the only Golden State player to have “generated the top trade chatter” around the league, Yahoo! Sports Chief NBA correspondent Jake Fisher Quoting sources in the league on Tuesday.
Fisher added that two teams — one in the Western Conference and one in the Eastern Conference — have shown interest in the All-Star forward, with the Dallas Mavericks and Milwaukee Bucks both considering trading Wiggins.
Milwaukee would have to move forward Bobby Portis in a potential trade with Golden State to reach Wiggins' $24.3 million salary, and the Bucks will think “long and hard before sacrificing Portis in any deal” before Thursday's deadline, Fisher wrote, citing sources.
As Fisher noted, Portis was one of Warriors coach Steve Kerr's favorites while coaching Team USA in the FIBA World Cup last summer.
In 51 games this season, Portis is averaging 12.5 points on 49.5 percent shooting, with 6.9 rebounds and one assist in 24 minutes for the third-seeded Bucks.
Meanwhile, Grant Williams and Tim Hardaway Jr. are the two names listed in any potential trades for Dallas as the team explores “frontcourt options with shooting ability and defensive pieces,” Fisher wrote, citing sources, adding that the Mavericks are willing to spend 2027 as their first-round pick. Circular for correct choices.
He looks like the Wiggins we knew before.
Wiggins was a key part of Golden State's 2021-22 NBA title run, and he earned a big payday with his next extension with the Warriors. But his production has been dampened by an inconsistent showing this season, as he averaged 12.2 points on 43.7 percent shooting, with 4.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists.
He's shown glimpses of his greatness and two-way impact at times this season, but the Warriors need a more consistent Wiggs if they want to get back into the playoff picture. Otherwise, exploring other options may be the solution.
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