Golden State Warriors: Trading for a max-value player makes sense

The Golden State Warriors have won 15 games. That’s the total they won two seasons ago. It’s been a terrific return to prominence for a team captained by two-time MVP Stephen Curry and three-time All-Star Draymond Green.

However, with Klay Thompson and Andrew Wiggins, along with those two, making up the four players that the team has on max-value contracts, trading throughout the season to seemingly enhance their roster doesn’t make much sense.

The Golden State Warriors, to pull off any blockbuster trade, would have to deal Andrew Wiggins, and he’s simply playing too well for that to be realistic.

Over the past half a decade, Andrew Wiggins plus assets like prospects and draft picks has been a trade that’s been suggested by probably just about every site that covers the NBA. There’s easy reasoning why it makes so much sense.

Wiggins is stopping that debate though, and most fans should agree that he’s become an integral part of this team.

While his defense has been shockingly fantastic this season, it’s been his efficiency that’s been a key reason he’s been so important. Wiggins is averaging 19.1 points per game and doing it on a career-high 49% from the field.

The Warriors are more than 10 points better than their opponent when Wiggins is on the court. At 6-foot-7, this is likely going to be the first time in his career that Wiggins will end the season with a positive net rating.

That said, while he’s not averaging the most points per game of his career, he is averaging the most per 36 minutes, at just over 23 per 36. With that in mind, it’s easy to see that he’s been playing at a high level.

Adding a player like Brandon Ingram or Ben Simmons would, for starters, be impossible without trading Wiggins, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green or Curry, and the last three aren’t going to be dealt.

With Wiggins improved play, he does carry a tad more value, but to get a legit All-Star-caliber player like Ingram, the Warriors would still have to attach multiple draft picks.

Two of their current starters were former late first-round picks, so they have first-hand knowledge of the importance of those. It’s unlikely those would be the difference-maker in a trade, but rather, it should be Wiggins play.

Because of Wiggins play and his contract, it’s unlikely the Warriors are able to bring in a big-name player unless they trade him, and with the team off to an ultra-hot start, they’ll likely keep everything together for a while.