The Warriors pulled off one of the biggest trades of the season when they sent young guard D’Angelo Russell to the Timberwolves for scoring forward Andrew Wiggins. Not only did they acquire a guy with exceptional potential, but they also addressed one of their biggest needs: wing depth.
But with questions about Wiggins’ future already surfacing, there are some who doubt he will be in Golden State for the long-haul.
In fact, according to Sam Quinn of CBS Sports, they may already have a trade target in mind to replace the 25-year-old forward.
“Once upon a time, Horford was considered the Eastern Conference’s answer to Draymond Green. Even in his compromised state, the idea of pairing the two of them defensively should give the Western Conference nightmares. Few teams have the front-court personnel to switch everything, but a Horford-Green pairing would allow the Warriors to do so with ease. Horford’s passing would be more than welcome in Steve Kerr’s motion offense. Aside from the 2015-16 Green blip, Golden State has never had a center with any sort of shooting ability. Imagine giving the Splash Brothers even more space to work with.”
On the surface, it certainly seems that Al Horford would be an ideal fit for the Warriors. He’s a mobile, passing big who can stretch the floor and defend the pick-and-roll.
But he has struggled mightily in his latest stint with the Sixers. through 56 games, he is averaging just 11.7 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 4 assists per game on a career-low 43% shooting.
Nearing 34-years-old, one has to wonder is Horford’s struggles are just a result of his environment or if Father Time is finally catching up to the 5x All-Star.
Trading a guy like Wiggins for a past-his-prime big man on the decline is a bold move, to say the least. Then again, Bob Meyers and the Warriors front-office are kind of known for their brave and bold decision making anyway.
