With the NBA trade deadline about 24 hours away, things are heating up for teams looking to elevate their championship aspirations for the final stretch of the 2023-24 season.
Change seemed likely and even necessary at one point for the Warriors during a frustratingly unsteady season, but the chatter has quieted down a notch in recent days. However, it's the NBA -- and anything can happen.
Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins has been one player who constantly has been tossed into the mix, and he continues to be the lone Golden State player who's "generated the most significant trade chatter" around the league, Yahoo! Sports senior NBA reporter Jake Fischer reported Tuesday, citing league sources.
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Two teams -- one in the Western Conference and one in the Eastern Conference -- have shown interest in the All-Star forward, Fischer added, as both the Dallas Mavericks and Milwaukee Bucks have considered a trade for Wiggins.
Milwaukee would have to package forward Bobby Portis in a potential deal with Golden State to reach Wiggins' $24.3 million salary, and the Bucks will think "long and hard before sacrificing Portis in any deal" before Thursday's deadline, Fischer wrote, citing sources.
As Fischer noted, Portis was one of Warriors coach Steve Kerr's favorites while he coached Team USA in last summer's FIBA World Cup.
In 51 games this season, Portis is averaging 12.5 points on 49.5-percent shooting, with 6.9 rebounds and one assist in 24 minutes for the third-seeded Bucks.
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Meanwhile, Grant Williams and Tim Hardaway Jr. have been the names included in any potential Dallas deals as the team explores "frontcourt options with shooting ability and defensive chops," Fischer wrote, citing sources, adding the Mavericks are willing to spend their 2027 first-round pick for the right options.
Sounds like the Wiggins we once knew.
Wiggins was a key component to Golden State's latest NBA title in the 2021-22 season, earning a major payday with his next extension with the Warriors. But his production has faded through an inconsistent showing this season, averaging 12.2 points on 43.7-percent shooting, with 4.2 rebounds and 1.5 assists.
He has shown glimpses of his greatness and two-way impact at times this season, but the Warriors need a more consistent Wiggs if they want to climb back into the playoff picture. Otherwise, exploring other options might be the solution.
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