What? The Golden State Warriors Can Reportedly Save $131 Million If They Trade This Player
The NBA trading deadline is less than 48 hours away (February 9), so many things can take place in a short amount of time.
Rumors around the league have started to pick up, and it's an exciting time to be an NBA fan.
Over the last eight seasons, the Golden State Warriors have been to the NBA Finals six times and won four NBA Championships (they are coming off winning the title in 2022).
With mostly the same players as last year, the defending NBA Champions don't need to add much because no one will want to face them in the 2023 playoffs.
That said, they are a team that is deep in the luxury tax because of their expensive roster.
According to The Athletic's John Hollinger, one way they can massively trim the bill would be by trading 2020 second-overall pick James Wiseman (without taking a player back in return).
Via Hollinger's article in The Athletic: "He’s owed $9.6 million this year and $12.2 million next year, meaning that San Antonio, Detroit, Utah or Indiana could trade for him without sending anything back. Such a transaction would save the Warriors about $51 million in salary and tax this year and an estimated $85 million in salary and tax next year; a total of $131 million in savings to dump a guy who rarely plays."
The 21-year-old center is still so young that there is no telling how his career will turn out.
Unfortunately, he has gotten off to a slow start as a pro, and after missing the entire 2021-22 season, he's played sparingly in 2022-23.
At one point, Wiseman was sent down to the G League for an extended period.
His NBA averages (this season) are 6.9 points and 3.5 rebounds per contest in 21 games (he is averaging 12.5 minutes of playing time).
Giving up on such a recent second-overall pick would be challenging
However, the money Hollinger says they can save from such a transaction might be worth considering.
The Warriors are currently 28-26 in 54 games, which has them tied with the New Orleans Pelicans for the seventh seed in the Western Conference.
They are 6-4 in their last ten games and in the middle of a two-game winning streak.
On Wednesday, the Warriors will play their next game when they visit Damian Lillard and the Portland Trail Blazers in Oregon.
