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Golden State Warriors Rumors: NBA scout urges Utah Jazz to acquire James Wiseman, says he'll be better than Walker Kessler

The Golden State Warriors will have to make an important decision before the Feb. 9 trade deadline. Their fanbase is clamoring for them to trade James Wiseman, while the front office still has hope for him. An NBA scout believes that Wiseman could flourish with the Utah Jazz.

Anthony Slater of The Athletic recently reported that the Warriors are looking to upgrade their roster. Slater suggested acquiring Kelly Olynyk of the Jazz due to his combination of size and shooting, plus a team-friendly contract. Olynyk has a partially guaranteed contract for next season.

That's something a team like Golden State needs because of their luxury tax concerns. But if the Warriors have a shot at getting Olynyk from the Jazz, they might need to part ways with at least Wiseman.

Fox Sports' Ric Bucher was told by an Eastern Conference general manager that the Golden State Warriors are stuck between a rock and a hard place. The GM described Wiseman as someone who is not ready to help them win a championship, but still has the potential to develop.

Bucher also noted that the general manager believes that a trade between the Warriors and Utah Jazz makes sense. He also asked three scouts who they want for the future between Wiseman and the Jazz's rookie big man Walker Kessler.

Two of the three scouts like Kessler, but the third one urged the Jazz to acquire Wiseman. The scout thinks that Kessler is a better player right now, but Wiseman will reach his potential by 2024.

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Golden State Warriors not trading James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody?

Jonathan Kuminga of the Golden State Warriors
Jonathan Kuminga of the Golden State Warriors

It has been widely speculated that the Golden State Warriors will try to improve their roster and increase their chances of repeating as champions. The Warriors' best trade assets are three of their prized prospects — James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody.

But according to The Athletic's Anthony Slater, the three young players are likely to remain in Golden State past the Feb. 9 trade deadline. Slater cited sources saying that the Warriors are not actively shopping the trio. However, he also clarified that the defending champs are likely to listen to offers.

The problem for Golden State is that they are not going to sell low on Wiseman, Kuminga and Moody despite their struggles this season. Teams looking to acquire any of the trio will want them cheap, which will surely turn off the Warriors' interest.

Nevertheless, it's going to be an interesting few weeks for the Warriors and the rest of the NBA. Some teams will lean on improving their chances of making the playoffs, while others will want to increase the odds of getting Victor Wembanyama in the draft.

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