NBA Rumors: Golden State Warriors not looking to move James Wiseman or Jonathan Kuminga
NBA rumors suggest the Golden State Warriors aren't looking to move their most recent lottery picks. That includes James Wiseman, the No. 2 pick from the 2020 draft, Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody, the No. 7 and 14 picks from the 2021 draft, respectively.
The Warriors are 22-22 for the season. The major reason behind their poor record is the franchise's eagerness to develop their prospects while contending at the same time. The Warriors had to part ways with veterans like Gary Payton II and Otto Porter Jr. this past offseason to speed up the development of the likes of Wiseman, Kuminga and Moody.
There are rumblings about the Warriors potentially looking to be active ahead of the trade deadline and bolster their bench. However, according to The Athletic's Anthony Slater, their most prized young assets like James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody won't be offered in trades. Here's what Slater wrote:
"Inherently, trade deadline rentals negatively impact the long term for a bump in the immediate. The Warriors aren’t moving with a desperation to maximize the present.
"This is also why Kuminga, Wiseman and Moody remain likely to be with the Warriors beyond the deadline. They aren’t actively shopping their three recent lottery picks, according to those sources with knowledge of the Warriors’ thinking."
Slater clarified that that doesn't mean the Golden State Warriors won't include Moody and Wiseman in potential deals. However, that depends on the prize offered to the Dubs by rival teams, as they aren't in a "sell-low" mode.
The Warriors aren’t actively shopping Jonathan Kuminga, James Wiseman or Moses Moody, sources tell @anthonyVslater.
The three recent lottery picks remain likely to be with Golden State beyond the deadline.
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Click here to read Anthony Slater's report on these NBA rumors.
Golden State Warriors' chances to contend look bleak with current bench depth
The Golden State Warriors find themselves in a tricky situation. The franchise has one of the NBA's best-starting units, coming off a championship win. They also have three reliable players off the bench: Jordan Poole, Donte DiVincenzo and rising star Jonathan Kuminga.
However, the Warriors are limited to that rotation as their most reliable option. Outside of these players, the quality isn't there that existed during their six finals runs over the past eight years. The Warriors are struggling to put together a decent winning stretch and will fight to be atop the Western Conference standings.
The thin margins between teams ranked sixth and 13th have kept them in contention to avoid the play-in tournament. It will be an uphill challenge for the Warriors to win consistently without considerable upgrades in the frontcourt.
That jeopardizes the chances of their main rotation guys remaining healthy and in peak conditioning come playoff time. It will be interesting to see if the Warriors can flip other pieces to make some deals. The Golden State Warriors still have one of the best front offices in the NBA, led by Bob Myers, so it would be too soon to rule them out just yet.