NEWSLETTER
In true trade deadline fashion, the NBA is completely unhinged. This afternoon, the Golden State Warriors traded former No. 2-overall pick James Wiseman to the Detroit Pistons in a three-team deal that includes the Atlanta Hawks. Saddiq Bey will head to join Atlanta, while the Warriors will receive five second-round picks from Atlanta, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Oddly enough, this is the second time today that we’ve seen a team dish out five second-rounders. The first came when the Milwaukee Bucks acquired Jae Crowder in a three-team deal with the Nets and Pacers.
The biggest news here is – duh – that the Warriors have finally given up Wiseman. The big man has struggled to carve out a role on the contending team ever since entering the league. He’s also struggled with injuries at times and will finish his Warriors career appearing in just 60 games over his first three seasons.
Still, the fact that they couldn’t receive more for Wiseman’s upside is a bit shocking. He’s just 21 years old and does possess the kind of athleticism that is rare for a player his size. While there is no question he remains a big project, there is still a world where he can reach the perceived potential of a high lottery pick.
I guess the Warriors didn’t buy into that anymore, though. Taking a handful of seconds makes it pretty clear that they were ready for the experiment to be over, and Wiseman will now have a fresh start in the kind of rebuilding environment he may need.
As for the Hawks, Bey has struggled with his efficiency at times but should be considered an upgrade to their rotation. He is still just 23 years old and has a streaky scoring ability that’s worth further investment.
This now means another Eastern Conference team in the playoff mix has tried to improve its roster. Meanwhile, the Chicago Bulls (who sit one spot behind Atlanta in the standings) have yet to do anything. Let’s also not forget the Raptors (who are right behind the Bulls by just one game) just added their new center in Jakob Poeltl.
