The Warriors did not make a trade ahead of Thursday’s deadline, signaling confidence in the health of injured star Draymond Green and promising big James Wiseman.
The trade deadline came and went, with Philadelphia and Brooklyn agreeing to the headlining deal that swapped James Harden and Ben Simmons. Golden State’s roster remains intact as of Thursday afternoon.
The Warriors historically haven’t been particularly active at the trade deadline in years when they’re contending. General manager Bob Myers prefers to build his roster in the offseason, and he told reporters recently that he’s happy with the current team.
But with Green and Wiseman sidelined, that leaves Kevon Looney as the Warriors’ lone traditional center. That makes a big man the lone obvious need for Golden State.
The Warriors expect both Green and Wiseman to return after the All-Star break, though. The latter was cleared for contact this week. Deciding not to bring in extra help means the internal evaluations of Wiseman and Green remain positive.
“We think those two will help us more than anything we’re looking at on the market,” Myers said of Green and Wiseman.
Green is out with an L5-S1 disc injury that could hold him out another three weeks, he said. Wiseman hasn’t played since tearing his right meniscus last April.
The Warriors could still add a player in the buyout market, but would have to release a player currently on the roster to make space. Centers potentially available after buyouts include Tristan Thompson and Robin Lopez.
At 41-14, Golden State has the second best record in the NBA. The Warriors won nine straight games before falling to Utah on Wednesday, and host the Knicks on Thursday night.
