Blinksportsnews247Andrew Wiggins Comes Back, Klay Thompson Resurfaces
A new trade target for the Golden State Warriors might be a replacement for Kevon Looney.
The Warriors have discussed and will discuss Utah Jazz stretch big man Kelly Olynyk in the run-up to Thursday, February 8 at 3 p.m. (E.T.), according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Kelly Olynyk of the Utah Jazz has an intriguing name for Golden State, and other clubs are interested in him, Wojnarowski said late on Wednesday night on “SportsCenter” with Scott Van Pelt. “He would fit in well at Golden State.” His stature and capacity to extend the floor are undeniable. That is a player about whom I believe Golden State will continue to talk.
Following Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer’s suggestion of the Warriors as one of the clubs interested in Olynyk, Wojnarowski released his story. The other clubs Fischer associated with Olynyk were the Toronto Raptors, Miami Heat, and Philadelphia 76ers.
Anthony Slater, a beat reporter for The Athletic, stated on January 30 that “he could see [Looney] being the outgoing salary in a smaller deal, especially if it is for an inbound center.”
Olynyk lacks Looney’s strength. However, unlike Looney, the big Canadian guy can stretch the floor.
A former first-round selection out of Gonzaga, Olynyk is six feet eleven inches tall and averages 8.1 points on 56.2% from the field and 42.9% from three-point range. The Warriors will need Olynyk’s scoring ability if they hope to hold onto both Andrew Wiggins and Jonathan Kuminga, their non-shooting forwards, before the trade deadline.
Kerr also likes Olynyk, who is a big playmaker. For the Jazz, the ten-year NBA veteran is averaging 20.4 minutes off the bench with 4.4 assists and 5.1 rebounds. He’s now in the latter year of a three-year, $37 million contract.
Andrew Wiggins Comes Back, Klay Thompson Resurfaces
The Warriors’ fourth victory in their previous five games came from the much-maligned wings.
On Wednesday, February 7, Wiggins made his road comeback from an injured foot, leading the Warriors to a commanding double-double (21 points and 10 rebounds), one steal, and one block in a 127-104 victory over the Joel Embiid-less Philadelphia 76ers.
Klay Thompson also recovered after being benched in the final moments of Brooklyn’s game two nights prior. Thompson made 4 of 5 long-range shots and scored 18 points on 50% of his shots. Compared to Wiggins’ plus-17, he had a game-high plus-24.
The Warriors’ plans for the trade deadline may be affected by Wiggins’ recent great play. NBA insider Marc Stein stated prior to Wiggins recording his second double-double of the year, “The Warriors, league sources say, are expected to explore their Andrew Wiggins trade options right up to the deadline.”
The Best Path for Warriors
According to Wojnarowski, the Warriors will likely make a little deal, similar to Olynyk, at the trade deadline rather than making any major moves.
“I believe that Golden State feels that the best way for them to succeed this season is for some of their underachievers, like Wiggins and Thompson, who have been up and down, to get healthy again,” Wojnarowski stated. “That would be a more effective way for them to attempt and get some momentum this season. Check to see whether they can qualify for the postseason.
Steve Kerr, the coach of the Warriors, feels the same way.
“I think this gang is capable of something exceptional. I genuinely do. Thus, before their game in Philadelphia, he told reporters, “We feel like we have a good group we can push with if we don’t do anything tomorrow.”
That notion is supported by their 5-3 record since they returned to the field following the sudden loss of assistant coach Dejan Milojević.
Blinksportsnews247
