Before the 2020 February NBA trade deadline, the Golden State Warriors traded D’Angelo Russell for Andrew Wiggins with the goal of addressing their major problem in the wing. However, since his arrival in Golden State, rumors still continue to swirl around Wiggins and his future with the Warriors . With the Warriors highly expected to contend for the championship title next season, there is speculation that they could use Wiggins as the main trade chip to acquire their fourth superstar this summer.
In past months, the Warriors have already been linked to numerous NBA superstars who are expected to be available on the trade market this offseason, including Rudy Gobert of the Utah Jazz. In his recent article, Dan Knitzer of Fansided’s Sir Charles In Charge suggested two possible ways that the Warriors could add Gobert to their roster.
In the first proposed trade, the Warriors would be sending a trade package including Draymond Green, Eric Paschall, and their own 2022 first-round pick to Utah, while in the second scenario, Gobert would be heading to Golden State for Wiggins, Paschall, a 2020 first-round pick, and a 2022 first-round pick. Though it would cost them a potential lottery pick in the 2020 draft, the Warriors would undeniably be better off proceeding with the second proposed trade deal.
Trading Wiggins instead of Green to the Jazz in exchange for Gobert would enable the Warriors to retain the core — Green, Stephen Curry, and Klay Thompson — that helped them build a dynasty while adding another legitimate NBA superstar to their roster. Gobert may not be a floor-spacer, but his potential arrival in Golden State could still tremendously boost their performance on both ends of the floor next season.
Gobert would give the Warriors a very reliable scoring option; he’s also an incredible rebounder and rim protector. This season, the 27-year-old French big man is averaging 15.1 points, 13.7 rebounds, and 2.0 blocks while shooting 69.8 percent from the field.
Despite his rumored dispute with Donovan Mitchell, Gobert hasn’t shown any indication that he wants out of the Jazz. However, he would definitely be intrigued by the idea of playing for the team that ruled the Western Conference for five straight years. Being traded to the Warriors would give Gobert a realistic chance of winning a championship title while working for his next big contract in the summer of 2021.
If they fail to fix the issue between their two best players, accepting the Warriors’ offer of Wiggins, Paschall, a 2020 first-round pick, and a 2022 first-round pick won’t be bad at all for the Jazz. Wiggins is an All-Star-caliber talent who fits the timeline of Mitchell, while Paschall would give the Jazz a boost in their second unit. The Jazz could use the two future first-round picks to add more young and promising talent to their roster or as trade chips to further improve their team this summer.