SUMMARY
- The Warriors and Timberwolves were in talks to swap Anthony Edwards and James Wiseman.
- The Timberwolves wanted their 2021 Draft picks back after losing them in a trade for Andrew Wiggins the previous season.
The Golden State Warriors had a chance to acquire one of the top five guards in the league at the moment. Considering their current status, Anthony Edwards would have worked wonders alongside Stephen Curry. However, the team was focused on filling the gaps on its roster. This is why they might be suffering right now as well.
In 2020, the Warriors drafted James Wiseman as the No.2 overall pick. Wiseman seemed like the perfect match to give the roster some definition in terms of height. Yet nothing came out of his presence for two seasons. Hence, the Warriors decided to ship him to the Detroit Pistons. Wiseman had a decent rookie year averaging 11.5 points and 5.8 rebounds.
Unfortunately, Wiseman was plagued with injuries and he has never played a full season in the league. Before the 2019-20 season concluded, the Warriors worked out a deal to acquire Andrew Wiggins. They also received two 2021 Draft picks from the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Warriors sent D’Angelo Russell with two other valuable assets to the Timberwolves. However, the latter tried to get their picks back following the 2020 NBA Draft.
Why did the Timberwolves try moving Anthony Edwards to the Warriors?
As it is mentioned above, the Wolves were looking forward to getting their picks back from the Warriors. And as a result of that idea, they were willing to swap their No.1 overall pick, Anthony Edwards for James Wiseman and those two picks. A few years ago, NBA insider Brian Windhorst revealed, “To go back to draft night, the Wolves were very interested in trading out of this pick.”
Windhorst added, “The Warriors have their draft pick this year depending on where it falls, and I think they wanted it back quite frankly. They were saber-rattling, according to the stories, that they were gonna take James Wiseman. The Warriors were really locked in on James Wiseman.”
As it seems, the Warriors were steadfast in acquiring height rather than the best player in the draft. This is why they chose to stick with Wiseman and carry on with the concoction of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson in the frontcourt. However, fans don’t seem to be liking it right now as one said, “Generational fumble.” Another fan added, “This why you just always take the best player not exactly what you need.”
Wow… The Warriors could have drafted Anthony Edwards in the 2020 NBA draft.. The Timberwolves were very interested in trading out of the #1 pick but the Warriors weren’t interested in moving up…
“The Warriors were really locked in on James Wiseman”
….Generational fumble…. pic.twitter.com/bxDRrN6XTY
— De🅿️ressed Warriors Fan ⚡️💔 (@30problemz) January 18, 2024
this why you just always take the best player not exactly what you need
— Megaplayboy MMA (@megaufcfan) January 18, 2024
Fans are upset with the Warriors’ former general manager, Bob Myers. He did not have an open mind when it came to trading for Anthony Edwards. The Timberwolves guard has led the team to the top spot in the Western Conference this season. He currently averages 26.1 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5 assists per game.