Grade the Trade: Warriors add former Sixth Man of the Year and shot-blocking center in recent proposal
There's a few more elements to the trade than what's seen above, with the Trail Blazers opening up two significant and valuable trade exceptions with the departures of Malcolm Brogdon and Robert Williams III. But for the purpose of evaluating this proposal, let's look at the players and pick element.
As much as the trade exceptions may be valuable, it's difficult to see Portland giving up two valuable pieces for a player in Looney who's coming off an underwhelming season, and one solitary first-round pick outside the lottery.
Brogdon is one year removed from winning the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year where he averaged 14.9 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.7 assists in 26 minutes per game for the Boston Celtics. After being traded to the Trail Blazers in the offseason, the 31-year-old accepted a role within a rebuilding team and averaged 15.7 points, 3.8 rebounds and 5.5 assists, though was limited to just 39 games.
Williams played just six games with Portland before suffering a season-ending injury, but Warrior fans will remember the 26-year-old's impact on the Celtics' run to the 2022 NBA Finals where he averaged 10 points, 9.6 rebounds and was one of the league's best shot blockers at over two per game.
Despite their injury concerns, Portland would be hoping to get a first-round pick for each of Williams and Brogdon -- perhaps two in the case of the latter. From a Philadelphia perspective, they would likely to prefer to use their cap scape on a more valuable asset than Wiggins, but the 29-year-old does make sense as a three-and-D player who would theoretically fit well next to the dynamic duo of Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.
Assuming that the Trail Blazers and 76ers were willing to go ahead with this trade, would the Warriors view it as a worthwhile deal to make happen?