As teams around the Western Conference made major moves, the Golden State Warriors remain more or less intact heading into the second half of the season.
They were rumored to have interest in acquiring several guards/wings including Alex Caruso, who remains with the Chicago Bulls, Matisse Thybulle, who was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers, and OG Anunoby, one of the hottest names on the market, who ended up staying put in Toronto.
The move they did make, caught many by surprise, shifting 2020 No. 2 overall pick James Wiseman to the Detroit Pistons in a four-team deal that reunited them with Gary Payton II, flipping five second-round picks to Portland.
With Stephen Curry (34 years old), Draymond Green (32), and Klay Thompson (33) not getting any younger, the Warriors were expected to make a move that would push them into title contention and bringing back Payton II does that...kind of.
Now that the trade deadline has passed, what does this mean for the future of Golden State? The Sporting News breaks it all down.
NBA TRADE DEADLINE: Tracking every trade | Trade Grades | Winners and losers
What's next for the Warriors following 2023 trade deadline?
Moving on from James Wiseman
In dealing James Wiseman to the Pistons, the Warriors cut their losses on the 21-year-old, who struggled to live up to the promise of his No.2 draft pick status in his three seasons in The Bay.
Injuries played their part, but for a player that averaged just 9.9 points and 5.0 rebounds per game across 60 (!) appearances, he wasn't the player that was going to help them win a championship — at least this season, and potentially next.
As TSN's Gil McGregor noted in grading the Warriors deal, trading Wiseman had its financial benefits for Golden State, who save $51 million in salary and tax this year and an estimated $85 million next year, per The Athletic's John Hollinger.
The Warriors were always going to be hard-pressed to pull off a deal for a big name player like Anunoby given their limited financial flexibility and lack of assets, but in shedding Wiseman's contract, they stand pat for this season and could look to make a move in the summer, one that could truly maximize the remainder of Stephen Curry's prime.
Welcome back Gary Payton II
The reigning champions are trying to win now and James Wiseman wasn't the guy to help them do that. Gary Payton II however, certainly helps.
Payton II addresses one of their most glaring needs, adding some much-needed perimeter defense to their second unit, and after helping them win the championship last season, his familiarity with the system and his teammates makes him an easy option to plug right back into the lineup.
“GP’s a lot like me in his undersized-ness, if you will, if that’s a word, is his weapon,” Draymond Green told NBC Sports Bay Area.
“Because they don’t realize how long he is. You can affect shots, you can get steals that your opponent may think, ‘Oh, that’s open,’ but then an arm goes up, an arm goes out. Those are things that you can’t teach.
“He just has a knack for the ball, that’s why he comes up with offensive rebounds and steals. He just has a knack for the ball. Me and Loon used to call him a small five.”
Payton II's didn't make his Blazers debut till January due to a muscle injury, averaging just 4.1 points and 2.6 rebounds in 17 minutes across 15 games, but back with the Warriors healthy, he should be able to make an impact right away.
Ultimately it was a roundabout way of bringing Payton II after being unable to resign him in the offseason due to their overblown cap situation, forcing him to sign a three-year, $26 million deal in Portland.
TSN's Steph Noh surmised as much in his winners and losers of the trade deadline analysis:
The Warriors could have simply re-signed Payton last summer. Instead, they lost Wiseman and made a massive overpay to give Payton his money anyway.
Wiseman wasn't going to work with the Warriors, so it did make sense to move on from him. But this was a disaster in asset management.
Stephen Curry injury and Warriors 2023 NBA title odds
The Warriors don't have time to waste, as they look to make the most of their Curry-led championship window and ultimately they can chalk their recent struggles up to injuries.
Mainly Stephen Curry.
Curry will be re-evaluated after the All-Star break and while he's been playing at an elite level, they are just 20-18 with him in the lineup and 8-9 without him.
The big question in the offseason will be the future of Draymond Green, who can become an unrestricted free agent if he chooses to decline his $27.6 million player option for 2023-24.
After signing Jordan Poole to a $140 million deal and Andrew Wiggins to a $109 million extension, they could be looking at a luxury tax bill north of $200 million.
Ultimately, the question remains as to whether adding Gary Payton II back into the fold moves the needle in a Western Conference that also saw the Suns, Nuggets, Clippers and Mavericks bolster their rotations to varying degrees.
Odds to win NBA Western Conference at @BetMGM
— John Ewing 🦁 (@johnewing) February 9, 2023
Yesterday:
Nuggets +325
Grizzlies +450
Warriors +500
Clippers +500
Mavericks +700
Suns +750
Today:@Suns +225
Nuggets +350
Clippers +600
Warriors +750
Grizzlies +750
Mavericks +800
Golden State entered the trade deadline at +500 to win the western conference but now stand at +750 according to BetMGM. The oddsmakers are skeptical that the defending champs did enough. Only time will tell.
All contract details courtesy of Spotrac.
