NBA Rumors: Warriors Could Acquire Paul George For Andrew Wiggins & No. 2 Pick, ‘Fadeaway World’ Suggests
Amid the continued trade rumors surrounding both players and the pick involved in the theoretical deal, Fadeaway World proposed on Tuesday that the Golden State Warriors could land Paul George in exchange for their erstwhile starting small forward, Andrew Wiggins, and the No. 2 selection in the 2020 NBA Draft.
According to the outlet, the Clippers are at a point where they’re trying to regroup after an “almost embarrassing” playoff run where they blew a 3-1 series lead and lost in the Western Conference semifinals against the Denver Nuggets. The team’s alleged chemistry issues on and off the court were also brought up, thus making it likely that officials will try to break up the superstar duo of George and Kawhi Leonard.
“It’s no secret that Paul George’s inconsistency has been a major issue for the Clippers,” the publication added. “And while parting with him would not be an easy decision, it could bear much fruit if they were able to get a player like Andrew Wiggins in return.”
Regarding the possible outcome of the proposed blockbuster trade, Fadeaway World wrote that the Warriors could benefit from George’s “elite” defense, especially if he teams up with fellow forward Draymond Green in the starting lineup. The six-time All-Star is also a career 20-point scorer who could remain productive on the offensive end while draining a high percentage of his shots from three-point range.
“With [Stephen] Curry, Klay [Thompson], George, and Draymond, the Dubs would be right back in the ‘superteam’ category and the clear front-runner in the West,” the outlet continued.
Despite seeing a reduction in playing time in his first season in Los Angeles, George averaged 21.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.9 assists for the Clippers in 2019-20, per Basketball-Reference. He also registered shooting percentages of 43.9 percent from the field and 41.2 percent from beyond the arc.
As for the Clippers, Fadeaway World wrote that Wiggins could continue contributing as one of the NBA’s most prominent young scorers, as he averaged 21.8 points per game last season while splitting time between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Warriors. The site predicted that the 25-year-old has the potential to improve on both offense and defense while playing alongside Leonard and other Clippers veterans.
In addition, the publication speculated that in this hypothetical situation, Los Angeles could use the Warriors’ No. 2 pick on Georgia Bulldogs guard Anthony Edwards, who might turn out to be the playmaker the Clippers have been looking for.
As reported by The Inquisitr, rumors regarding a George trade began swirling in earnest last month, as a source told Fox Sports’ Jason McIntyre that it wouldn’t be shocking if the wingman gets “shipped out of town.” Both Wiggins and Golden State’s No. 2 selection, meanwhile, have also been staples of the rumor mill, with one recent idea suggesting that the Warriors could include them in a package that would allow them to acquire big man Kristaps Porzingis from the Dallas Mavericks.
