Warriors GM Reveals Reason for Sticking with Andrew Wiggins and “Untouchable” Jonathan Kuminga at the Deadline

The thrilling mini-series that was the NBA trade deadline ended today. But the Golden State Warriors continued to surprise, as the front office decided to keep Andrew Wiggins and Jonathan Kuminga at home. Wiggins, the player that generated the most trade chatter, has shown a resurgence of sorts lately. And Kuminga, while being the Dubs’ biggest attraction, is also one of their future cornerstones.

It was always obvious that the Dubs would only consider trading these two players if they were guaranteed someone who’d provide instant results. After all, their core is not getting any younger, and they have the quality to get another championship. So their decision to not trade Wiggins or Kuminga does seem to make sense.

Warriors’ GM bets on Kuminga and Wiggins

Dunleavy Jr. has his reasons, obviously, for choosing to stick with the team they have now. And he listed them out when talking to NBCS reporter Kerith Burke, past the deadline. But most importantly, he says, “If everyone plays to their maximum ability, I think we’re there with any team in the league.“

The confidence Mike shows is heartwarming, but he is no fool. He said that one challenge the Golden State faces right now is to get a championship record. The Warriors are 11th in the West with a 23-25 record and two games under .500. This comes from a franchise that always kept itself well-groomed and at the top with a championship pedigree, thanks to Stephen Curry and the squad.

That brings us to the next point, which is they have all the pieces to get themselves “in the mix”. And the “most important thing is to get close to a play in or into the tournament.” Dunleavy also throws light into the defensive struggle of the team. He says that the group will have to pay special attention to improving their inability to stop the ball and protect the basket.

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Well, it seems like the man is aware of the reality, but he still chose to bet on the team, particularly the “untouchable” Jonathan Kuminga and the largely underperforming Andrew Wiggins. But it’s not time for a wrap yet. Next on the agenda is the buyout.

Will the Dubs go after a player of interest from the 2021 deadline?

The Spurs’ veteran forward-guard, Cedi Osman, was someone the Warriors were reportedly very much interested in during the 2021 deadline period. The Turkish native was playing for the Cavs then. Of course, his stats do not show astounding numbers now, but he has enough juice in him to provide enough defensive help for a team struggling on that front.

The top available candidate for a buyout is Osman this year, it won’t be a long shot if the Warriors end up signing him. He is currently averaging 7.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game. And they are pretty solid numbers considering Wiggins is averaging 1.5 and Kuminga is 1.8 in assists this season. Not to mention, his stat sheet has better numbers than at least five members of the Dubs.

So, will the Golden State continue with the current group or at least add at least a helping hand? Anyway, we won’t have to wait too long for this. Stay tuned!

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