Teams that should trade for Golden State Warriors center James Wiseman: San Antonio Spurs
Legendary Coach Gregg Popovich and the San Antonio Spurs went all-in on a rebuild this summer, trading away their lone All-Star, Dejounte Murray, to the Atlanta Hawks. In exchange for Murray, the Spurs received reliable veteran Danilo Gallinari and several future draft picks. If the playoffs were to start today, the Spurs would be on the outside looking in, currently sitting in 13th place in the Western Conference. To put it simply, the team is in need of an identity.
James Wiseman is a player who is used to having teams built around him. Although he is four years removed from high school, he is accustomed to being the primary focus of every team he has been a part of. If the Spurs were able to acquire Wiseman in a trade, getting him to sign a long-term extension would be an easy sell.
Coach Popovich would simply point to the rafters and mention the five championship banners that are hanging from the ceiling. If he felt compelled to elaborate, he could provide a monologue about how David Robinson and Tim Duncan laid the foundation for the team’s success. With Wiseman being a fellow big man, this pitch would be as easy as selling WD-40 to a used car salesman.
In order to acquire Wiseman’s services, the Spurs will almost certainly have to part ways with 27-year-old Jakob Poeltl. While he is more game-ready than Wiseman currently is, he does not possess the same upside and high ceiling. However, Poeltl alone may not be enough to get the job done; Wiseman was taken with the second pick in the draft, and the Warriors had high hopes for him.
The Spurs may also have to part ways with a proven veteran like shooting guard Josh Richardson. While the Warriors would most likely buy out Richardson or immediately trade him, there are several ways to facilitate this deal. Ultimately, San Antonio could acquire a new franchise center, and Golden State could obtain valuable assets that could be put to use now instead of being preserved for the future.