Since he was selected as the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, rumors have been continuously swirling around young center James Wiseman and his future with the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors may have said on numerous occasions that they considered Wiseman part of their long-term future but with the team currently in a win-now mode, most people believe that they are better off using him as the main trade chip to improve their roster around Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green.
NBA Rumors: GSW Could Send James Wiseman To Spurs For Jakob Poeltl & 2024 1st-Round Pick
Instagram | James Wiseman
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James Wiseman To San Antonio Spurs
Instagram | James Wiseman
One of the potential trade partners for the Warriors in the deal involving Wiseman is the San Antonio Spurs. In a recent article, Greg Swartz of Bleacher Report came up with a hypothetical trade idea that would enable the Warriors to trade Wiseman to San Antonio in exchange for a "win-now help."
In the proposed trade scenario, the Warriors would be sending Wiseman to the Spurs in exchange for a package that includes Jakob Poeltl and a 2024 first-round pick. If the trade becomes a reality, it would help both teams in filling up the needs to improve on their roster.
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Jakob Poeltl An Upgrade Over James Wiseman
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Poeltl would be an intriguing addition to the Warriors. He may not be on the same level as Joel Embiid, Anthony Davis, and Nikola Jokic, but Swartz believes that he would be a major upgrade over Wiseman and Kevon Looney at the Warriors' starting center position.
Poeltl's potential arrival in Golden State is expected to improve their performance on both ends of the floor. He would give them a very reliable scoring option under the basket, a monster rebounder, and a quality rim protector. This season, he's averaging 12.4 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks while shooting 63.0 percent from the field, per ESPN.
Warriors Get Another Future Draft Asset
The Warriors would definitely have second thoughts about swapping Wiseman for Poeltl, but the veteran big man isn't the only asset that they would be getting from the Spurs. Aside from Poeltl, the Warriors would also be receiving a first-round selection in 2024. The pick may be lottery-protected, but the Warriors could still use it to add another young and promising talent that could help them bridge the gap to the next era of Warriors' basketball when Curry, Thompson, and Green retire as NBA players.
Spurs Land A Franchise Center
Trading Poeltl and a future first-round pick for Wiseman should be a no-brainer for the Spurs, especially if they want to take things slow in their rebuild. Wiseman would give the Spurs a franchise cornerstone who could be the centerpiece of the next title-contending team that they will try to build in San Antonio.
Meanwhile, though it wouldn't put him close to winning his first NBA championship title, being traded to a rebuilding team like the Spurs would be beneficial for Wiseman. Playing for a team that could give him more playing time and a significant role on the offensive end of the floor could help him speed up his development into a legitimate superstar in the league.
