GSW - TOR: Warriors salary dump while staying competitive

[MessiahUjiri]

Supporting thesis: The Warriors are going to aggressively cut salary next season, while looking to stay competitive. The Raptors will dangle Bruce Brown, and will be willing to take back salary using their Siakam trade exception ($10M) as they accumulate assets. Wiggins probably needs a fresh start at this point, and Toronto is home.


Supporting context:

https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/warriors-offseason-plan-1a-is-to-avoid-luxury-tax-entirely-owner-joe-lacob-says/

The Warriors are still in win-now mode, but ownership is hoping to do so on a somewhat more affordable budget next season. Most fans have assumed, at the very least, that the team would try to find a way beneath the new second apron before penalties for exceeding it start to kick in next season. Warriors governor Joe Lacob appeared on The TK Show with The Athletic's Tim Kawakami, and he indicated that while nothing is set in stone, he'd like to go even further. In a perfect world, Golden State would duck the luxury tax entirely next season.

"Our Plan 1, or 1A, is that we'd like to be out of the tax, and we think that we have a way to do that," Lacob explained. "That kind of is the plan, not just under the second apron. I'll tell you why that's important because the truth is, we need to be out of the tax two years out of the next four in order to get this repeater thing off our books. We don't want to be a repeater. It's just so prohibitive, not to say we wouldn't do it if we had to, but you've gotta look at what the downside is to doing that. So, that's the plan, is to try to do that, and we think we can keep our team together and retain even the players that are, we might be able to bring players back at different numbers and so on."

To be done as 2 separate trades:


Bruce Brown, Jalen McDaniels, TPE $10M
for
Wiggins, Moody, Payton, 2 ATL 2nds (‘26 & ‘28)

[Colbinii]

If I am the Warriors I just trade GPII 9.3 Expiring to a cap space team, maybe adding one of the Atlanta 2nds.

That saves 9.3 Million and the Warriors get to keep the much higher ceiling player in Wiggins.

[eminence]

Doesn't seem very difficult for GS to cut significant salary. Let CP3 go and either bring back Klay at a smaller number (or not at all if he'd prefer to get paid).

[MessiahUjiri]

If I am the Warriors I just trade GPII 9.3 Expiring to a cap space team, maybe adding one of the Atlanta 2nds.

That saves 9.3 Million and the Warriors get to keep the much higher ceiling player in Wiggins.

They also get a playoff tested player in Bruce Brown, who can play the 1-3. I imagine they will highly value that versatility as Steph and Klay age.

[Colbinii]

If I am the Warriors I just trade GPII 9.3 Expiring to a cap space team, maybe adding one of the Atlanta 2nds.

That saves 9.3 Million and the Warriors get to keep the much higher ceiling player in Wiggins.

They also get a playoff tested player in Bruce Brown, who can play the 1-3. I imagine they will highly value that versatility as Steph and Klay age.

Wiggins is also "playoff tested" and has played significantly better at his best in the post-season compared to Brown.

If the goal is to save money, my idea is simply more reasonable than downgrading talent.

If Golden State wants to not compete next year, then they should do your deal, but then they should just trade Curry/Green while they are at it.

[thejigglyroom]

If I am the Warriors I just trade GPII 9.3 Expiring to a cap space team, maybe adding one of the Atlanta 2nds.

That saves 9.3 Million and the Warriors get to keep the much higher ceiling player in Wiggins.

They also get a playoff tested player in Bruce Brown, who can play the 1-3. I imagine they will highly value that versatility as Steph and Klay age.

They already have a “playoff tested player” in Wiggins

Pass

[Lenneth]

Warriors don't need to dump Wiggins' contract as of now.

After waiving CP3 this offseason, Warriors' salary would be 134 mils (10 players), and the luxury tax threshold would be 172 mils. So, Warriors have 38 mils room to resign Klay and fill the roster for 2024-2025, which should be enough to go under the luxury tax. The next season would be more interesting, because Warriors need to go under the luxury tax two years in a row to reset the luxury tax, and they might need to resign Kuminga and possibly Moody. They would lose GPII and Looney's 17 mils combined contracts, and the luxury tax thresholds would probably go up to 180 mils. So, they might have a tight room to resign at least one or both, depending on Klay's extension and other factors.

As a player, I don't think Warriors are in hurry to dump Wiggins either. After a disastrous 2023, Wiggins put 47.2% fg / 39.0% 3 pts / 13.1 pts in 2024. Points are down largely due to the rise of Kuminga, and Wiggins went back to his usual 17 pts when Kuminga was injured in March.

I don't think Warriors would tear the team down as long as Curry is relevant, and going from Wiggins to Brown is a big step down. Warriors can survive with Wiggins' contract, and they don't necessarily have a big issue with his contribution on the court. That's why Warriors probably won't consider dumping Wiggins' contract as of now.

[giberish]

The Warriors salary dump move was moving Poole for Paul. This offseason they just waive Paul's unguaranteed deal, hopefully resign Klay to a deal that makes sense for his play going forward and they should be fine.

Even with some potential extra costs down the road there's room under the 'double apron' to work with. I don't think the Warriors current owners will have problems paying luxury taxes below the 'double apron' level as long as the team isn't in rebuild mode.

[Texas Chuck]

I'm still in the camp that unless Toronto can find a deal like this, that they won't pick up Brown. He's not worth his money, but Indiana knew that and knew he was either a stopgap or what they used him for, trade filler.

So if GSW wants to save money probably not a great idea to take on a player making his money who is worth maybe half of that. Right now they have what $80M falling off the payroll if they aren't stupid with regards to Klay? Then easier ways to trim even more (Looney, Payton II).

Just don't get it.

Don't love it for Toronto either honestly. Not sure what they do with Wiggins except go look a Canadian but that shouldn't sell tickets and he's a bad on court fit.

[gswhoops]

I'm still in the camp that unless Toronto can find a deal like this, that they won't pick up Brown. He's not worth his money, but Indiana knew that and knew he was either a stopgap or what they used him for, trade filler.

So if GSW wants to save money probably not a great idea to take on a player making his money who is worth maybe half of that. Right now they have what $80M falling off the payroll if they aren't stupid with regards to Klay? Then easier ways to trim even more (Looney, Payton II).

Just don't get it.

Don't love it for Toronto either honestly. Not sure what they do with Wiggins except go look a Canadian but that shouldn't sell tickets and he's a bad on court fit.

Yeah exactly. Like others have said, GS can get out of the luxury tax without paying to dump Wiggins/GP2 as long as we don't make Klay a crazy offer. Looney is also partially guaranteed (Only $3.5M of $8.5M guaranteed) so if we really need to clear more space we can go that route.

[oldncreaky]

I'm still in the camp that unless Toronto can find a deal like this, that they won't pick up Brown. He's not worth his money, but Indiana knew that and knew he was either a stopgap or what they used him for, trade filler.

So if GSW wants to save money probably not a great idea to take on a player making his money who is worth maybe half of that. Right now they have what $80M falling off the payroll if they aren't stupid with regards to Klay? Then easier ways to trim even more (Looney, Payton II).

Just don't get it.

Don't love it for Toronto either honestly. Not sure what they do with Wiggins except go look a Canadian but that shouldn't sell tickets and he's a bad on court fit.

Yeah exactly. Like others have said, GS can get out of the luxury tax without paying to dump Wiggins/GP2 as long as we don't make Klay a crazy offer. Looney is also partially guaranteed (Only $3.5M of $8.5M guaranteed) so if we really need to clear more space we can go that route.

Pretty much agree. I've got Brown worth roughly a NTMLE, so he's overpaid by $10M and I don't expect him to be picked up. And while WIggins would add to the talent in Toronto and would be nice to pick up for so little in trade, it would be a reversal from building around Scottie with players his age who are young and approving.

If GSW is looking to save money, either Looney or GP2 into Toronto's $10M TPE for a fake SRP might make sense after the dust settles on free agency

[Mr Swagtastic]

Not saying this is a win for GSW but Toronto should avoid this. Wiggins is a awful fit next to RJ especially contract wise

[gswhoops]

Not saying this is a win for GSW but Toronto should avoid this. Wiggins is a awful fit next to RJ especially contract wise

I agree frankly. I don't think the whole Wiggins/Brown concept really works for either side.

[MessiahUjiri]

Not saying this is a win for GSW but Toronto should avoid this. Wiggins is a awful fit next to RJ especially contract wise

I agree frankly. I don't think the whole Wiggins/Brown concept really works for either side.

Now that there are enough reports about Wiggins being dangled as a trade candidate, it’s time to address some things here.


Wiggins and RJ Barrett can most definitely play together, because they play different positions and Wiggins has shown to be a good off ball player and shooter. Wiggins might be overpaid (GSWs problem), but he can still play, especially with a homecoming refresh.


GSW doesn’t have enough minutes for Wiggins, with Kuminga’s emergence and with Klay spending time as a 3 as he ages. At the forward spots there is: Kuminga, Dray, Klay, Trey-Jackson. Just not enough minutes to justify nearly $30M.

There is a bigger need at the 1-2 spots for someone who can spell both Curry and Klay. Brown can provide that.


The OP offer from GSW can be cut down by a 2nd, but the framework should work. Toronto will also like Moody for non basketball reasons as Scottie’s former teammate.

[Coxy]

Not saying this is a win for GSW but Toronto should avoid this. Wiggins is a awful fit next to RJ especially contract wise

I agree frankly. I don't think the whole Wiggins/Brown concept really works for either side.

Now that there are enough reports about Wiggins being dangled as a trade candidate, it’s time to address some things here.


Wiggins and RJ Barrett can most definitely play together, because they play different positions and Wiggins has shown to be a good off ball player and shooter. Wiggins might be overpaid (GSWs problem), but he can still play, especially with a homecoming refresh.


GSW doesn’t have enough minutes for Wiggins, with Kuminga’s emergence and with Klay spending time as a 3 as he ages. At the forward spots there is: Kuminga, Dray, Klay, Trey-Jackson. Just not enough minutes to justify nearly $30M.

There is a bigger need at the 1-2 spots for someone who can spell both Curry and Klay. Brown can provide that.


The OP offer from GSW can be cut down by a 2nd, but the framework should work. Toronto will also like Moody for non basketball reasons as Scottie’s former teammate.

GS doesn't have enough minutes for Wiggins? Well, that's flat out not true. Kuminga plays a lot of PF for us, and Dray plays a lot of C for us, Wiggins plays all the minutes Kerr can give him. Trayce is a centre, so not sure why you tried to add him into the minutes uptake at the forward spot, again just not accurate. Klay might also be moving on from the team, so there's also that.

I can see the Warriors trading Wiggins, but they should be hunting for someone to replace Klay, and Bruce Brown aint it.

This trade idea is flaccid.