Warriors get involved, trading Wiggins and Moody to Blazers
This mock deal is a massive win for the Warriors. They missed out on the playoffs last season and lost two veterans, Chris Paul and Klay Thompson, this summer. If they don't make a significant trade, Golden State could find themselves again on the outside looking in for next year's playoffs. They have a limited window with 36-year-old Stephen Curry and 34-year-old Draymond Green. Adding someone like Khris Middleton without giving up a valuable asset like Jonathan Kuminga in the process is a low-risk, high-reward move they should make.
The Bucks are taking more of a horizontal move, as Middleton and Grant are on a relatively similar tier as players (both can be a solid third option on a playoff team). But Swartz explains why Milwaukee may be inclined to make the trade, saying, "Khris Middleton is a better all-around player than Jerami Grant, but he's also struggled to stay healthy in recent years and had arthroscopic surgeries on both ankles this offseason. If the Bucks have any hesitations about Middleton's ability to stay on the court, swapping him for Grant (who's also two years younger) makes sense."
The Bucks and Warriors are surprising trade partners in this mock three-team deal, but both make sense as teams that need a roster shake-up after disappointing 2023-24 seasons. But the question remains: is this enough of a return for Grant for Cronin and the Blazers to pull the trigger?