The Warriors and Sixers hooked up on a late Friday afternoon trade last week, with each team flipping a newly acquired player. Golden State sent Gerald Wallace, who had arrived in the David Lee trade, to Philadelphia for Jason Thompson, one of the three players the Sixers received in their deal with the Kings in early July. The Warriors also sent cash — $1MM worth, as Eric Pincus of Basketball Insiders reports (Twitter link) — and gave the Sixers the right to swap the less favorable of the 2016 first-rounders the Heat and Thunder owe them for Golden State’s 2016 first-round pick. The move gave the Warriors a trade exception of more than $3MM, and perhaps most importantly, it allowed the team to save some $8MM in luxury tax payments.
The trade looks like a positive for the Warriors, but with the margin for error so razor thin in the Western Conference, every move carries risk. For the Sixers, the trade allows for the collection of another draft asset, but unless the Thunder or Heat finish with a better regular season record than the defending champs, who are coming off a 67-win season, Philadelphia won’t see any benefit from the pick swap. The Sixers may well have simply rented out $3MM worth of cap space for a cash payment of $1MM. So, how would you grade the trade for both teams?
The Warriors and Sixers are in opposite places in the NBA hierarchy, so it would be difficult to grade them on the same rubric. Still, you’re free to give any grade you wish. To leave your comment, just enter your name and email address, write what you want to say, and submit it; there’s no need to become a registered user. Just make sure you comply with our commenting policy.
A+ trade for the Sixers. Get some money and gives yourself options next year. With OKC and MIA reloading this year that pick might save you a few spots or not doing anything at all. But if luck turns the Sixers way maybe Curry gets injured and the West is tough as usual they could miss the playoffs and the trade is looking pretty good assuming there is no kind of protection for the swap picks
I can’t imagine the Warriors missing the playoffs, but I’d have said the same about the Thunder last season. What grade would you give Golden State?
Don’t forget, it takes another serviceable player out of the rotation for Phila. Can you say top-5 pick again?
I agree, A+ for the Sixers. JT wasn’t going to be an impact player, so no use in letting him soak up minutes in a young frontcourt.
For GS. I consider this and the David Lee trade one move and I give them an A. Saves the team money and gets them a decent 4th big man. Nice job by a smart front office.
Win-win for both sides. Sixers grab a guy with an upcoming expiring contract and the Warriors snag another role player.
I could see Thompson helping them out next season but I think the Warriors value the savings on the luxury tax and the trade exception to an even greater extent.
I think the move was also made from the sixers perspective to help reach the cap floor
Good point. With a $10 million contract, Wallace is easily the highest-paid player on the roster.