Around the NBA in 15 trades: Day 15, Raptors and Warriors
In the lead up to the Feb. 8 trade deadline, we’re taking all 30 teams and finding mutually beneficial partners. Every day will offer up a new deal with two new consorts. It’s kinda like the 12 days of Christmas, but instead of hens-a-laying and pear trees and other useless nonsense from your true love, you’re getting fake trades from me for a much higher holy day: the NBA trade deadline. Strap in tight, it’s trading season!
What do you give the team that has it all? Even though they sport the league’s best record, the Warriors are understandably showing the signs of fatigue after three-straight Finals runs. Injecting some life into their secretly-shaky bench would go a long way in shouldering the regular season load. Keeping their stars fresh for the postseason is paramount.
The Raptors are no slouch either. Since the calendar flipped to 2018, Toronto has the third-highest winning percentage in the NBA behind only Houston and Golden State. They’re gunning for the No. 1 seed in the East and don’t really have any glaring needs.
Maybe these two can strike a deal to shuffle around some lesser pieces for help on the margins.
Why the Raptors do it:
The Raptors are out both their first and second round picks in this upcoming draft and a lot of their cheap contracts are expiring. Netting Golden State’s pick and Damian Jones ostensibly gives them two late first rounders. They’d fill in the bottom of their cap sheet and the back-end of their roster as a guy they can try to develop.
Wright has been sensational this year but the Raptors still have OG Anunoby, Fred Van Vleet and Norman Powell (who has been pushed down the rotation) to help drive their bench. With this move, they’d streamline their backcourt logjam and add a break-in-case-of-emergency microwave scorer in Nick Young to its bench.
Why the Warriors do it:
Golden State could really use a stabilizing presence on its second unit and Wright would be the perfect fit. He’s a young veteran shooting almost 38 percent from beyond the arc who can switch three positions on defense – a pre-requisite for playing with the Warriors
Lucas Nogueira gives them an athletic option to roll out at center who, you know, isn’t JaVale McGee.
At the NBA draft in 2014, Bruno Caboclo was labeled as the Brazilian Kevin Durant and Fran Fraschilla famously declared he was “two years away from being two years away.” That was four years ago. In the three-plus seasons since, Caboclo’s played a combined 113 minutes and scored 27 total points.
Golden State would have about 40 percent of the season left to evaluate if Caboclo could be somebody worth keeping or if he’ll fade into draft night mythos. Maybe put him with the actual Durant to see if he can learn a thing or two.
Next: Around the NBA in 15 trades: Day 14, Bulls and Rockets
This concludes my Around the NBA in 15 Trades series for The Step Back. Thanks for reading, I’m glad you came along. Nothing left to do now but sit back and let the radioactive fallout of the Woj Bombs wash over you until 3 p.m. on Thursday.