Warriors trade James Wiseman to Pistons in 3-team deal; Durant, Westbrook shipped out
James Wiseman’s time with the Warriors has come to an end.
Golden State traded Wiseman to the Detroit Pistons as part of a three-team deal that includes the Atlanta Hawks, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Thursday about an hour before the noon PT trade deadline.
The Warriors reportedly received forward Kevin Knox and Saddiq Bey from the Pistons. Golden State flipped Bey to the Hawks for five second-round picks.
Wiseman’s career with the Warriors has largely been a disappointment as the 7-footer has been hampered by injuries and, when healthy, struggled to fit into the Warriors’ motion offense.
After the Warriors picked him No. 2 overall in the November 2020 draft, Wiseman played 39 games the following season, including 27 starts, before a meniscus tear sidelined him in April 2021. He averaged 11.5 points and 5.8 rebounds over 21.4 minutes per game, shooting 51.9% from the floor. His struggles meshing with Golden State on offense were on display, as Steve Kerr eventually adopted more direct pick-and-roll actions involving Wiseman.
That knee injury ended his 2020-21 season and setbacks kept him out for all of the 2021-22 season.
Wiseman returned this season, playing 21 games off the bench for the Warriors but never appeared to adjust to the speed of the NBA game, averaging 6.9 points and 3.5 rebounds in 12.5 minutes per game. He bounced back and forth between the NBA team and the Warriors’ G-League affiliate in Santa Cruz. In recent weeks, he had remained with the NBA team but did not see time in the rotation.
New Suns owner Mat Ishbia acquires Kevin Durant in blockbuster trade
In less than a week since becoming the new governor of the Phoenix Suns, Mat Ishbia has put the NBA on notice. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports that the Suns have acquired Kevin Durant from the Brooklyn Nets.
As part of the deal, the Suns are sending Jae Crowder, Cam Johnson, Mikal Bridges, four unprotected first-round picks (2023, 2025, 2027, and 2029) and a pick swap in 2028 to Brooklyn. Also, as part of the deal, the Nets will send T.J. Warren to Phoenix.
Ishbia, who is also the CEO of Michiganbased mortgage lender United Wholesale Mortgage, received approval on Tuesday to become the Suns’ new governor after purchasing a 57% controlling stake of the organization from Robert Sarver for $2.28 billion. The board vote for Ishbia’s approval was 29-0 with Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert — who is founder Ishiba’s mortgage rival company, Rocket Mortgage.
Wednesday night’s blockbuster trade comes just hours before the NBA’s 3 p.m.
ET trade deadline on Thursday.
Durant, 34, requested a trade to the Suns in the offseason, with reports of a desire to play with Devin Booker and Chris Paul. With Durant in the middle of a four-year, $194 million extension he signed in 2021, the Nets had no incentive to move him. Durant, subsequently, rescinded his trade request. However, reports of turmoil within the franchise, and the Nets trading Kyrie Irving to the Dallas Mavericks on Monday signaled major changes were on the horizon for Brooklyn.
— Kory Woods, mlive.com
Lakers trade Westbrook to Jazz, acquire D’Angelo Russell from Timberwolves
LOS ANGELES — The Lakers dramatically changed the composition of their roster, trading Russell Westbrook to Utah in a three-team deal Wednedsay that will bring back former Lakers draft pick D’Angelo Russell from the Minnesota Timberwolves and also net guard Malik Beasley and forward Jared Vanderbilt from the Jazz.
The Lakers will also send a protected 2027 first-round draft pick to the Jazz, according to people familiar with the deal who aren’t authorized to speak about it publicly.
The Lakers are excited to get young players Russell, Beasley and Vanderbilt, addressing the shooting issues that have
plagued them throughout the season, sources said.
The trade ends Westbrook’s tenure with the Lakers, a homecoming in Los Angeles that was fraught with injuries to his costars and inconsistent production on it.
Russell, who the Lakers selected No. 2 overall in 2015, is averaging 17.9 points and 6.2 assists for Minnesota this season. He’s an unrestricted free agent this summer after his $31.4 million contract expires.
— Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times
Lakers trade Thomas Bryant to Nuggets for reserve guard Reed and
LOS ANGELES — The Lakers are sending center Thomas Bryant to the
Denver Nuggets for reserve guard Davon Reed and three future second-round picks, people with knowledge of the deal not authorized to speak publicly told The Los Angeles Times.
Bryant starred as a fill-in for Anthony Davis while the All-Star forward was recovering from foot injuries. Bryant is averaging 12.1 points and 6.8 rebounds per game, far outplaying the one-year minimum deal he signed this offseason. It’s why, sources said, the Lakers began to find Bryant a new home while getting needed draft picks in return.
The team was also looking to find more minutes for Wenyen Gabriel as a backup center in smaller lineups. LeBron James and newly acquired Jarred Vanderbilt also give them small-ball center options.
The Lakers will receive second-round picks in 2025, 2026 and 2029.
— Dan Woike, Los Angeles Times
Sixers trade Matisse Thybulle to Trail Blazers
PHILADELPHIA — The Matisse Thybulle era is over in Philly.
On Thursday, the 76ers agreed to part ways with the two-time, second-team All-Defensive selection in a three-team trade in exchange for a player whom they think can better help them contend for an NBA title.
The team acquired Charlotte Hornets forward Jalen McDaniels and draft picks in the trade that will send Thybulle to the Portland Trail Blazers. The Blazers will in turn send the New York Knicks’ Svi Mykhailiuk to the Hornets. The team agreed to the deal for the 3 p.m. trade deadline.
In addition to McDaniels, the Sixers will receive the Knicks’ 2024 second-round pick and the Blazers’ 2029 second-rounder. The team will give up their 2023 second-round pick to Charlotte.
The Sixers were in search of a wing and backup center to make a deep postseason run.
McDaniels, 25, fills one of those needs. The fourth-year wing player is averaging career highs in points (10.6), steals (1.2) and minutes (26.7) this season.
While his value had dropped recently, Thybulle remained the best asset with which the Sixers were willing to part ways. And based on his role, there was no guarantee that he would get postseason minutes for the Sixers.
— Keith Pompey, The Philadelphia Inquirer