Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Paul Pierce urges Warriors to hit trade market

By Adam Taylor | Last updated 12/5/23

Hall of Famer Paul Pierce believes it's time the Golden State Warriors stop straddling two timelines. The mixture of young and upcoming talent along with proven veterans who are still among the best at their positions isn't working.

Speaking on a recent episode of the "KG Certified" podcast, the former NBA champion explained his thoughts.

"[James] Wiseman didn't turn into what they needed him to turn into," Pierce said. "[Jordan Poole, Jonathan Kuminga and Andrew Wiggins] were supposed to keep the dynasty going. But they didn't pan out like they thought they would. Because no way there should be all this stuff about Klay Thompson...Wiggins is supposed to be giving you what Klay has been giving you, so he can step back and be like the third wheel...You've got to make some moves. As currently constructed, this team is barely a playoff team."

"[Jordan Poole, Jonathan Kuminga & Andrew Wiggins were] supposed to keep the dynasty going, but they didn't pan out like they thought they would... [Warriors] got to make a trade... This team is barely a playoff team."

—Paul Pierce

(via @shobasketball)pic.twitter.com/bNEXwjZary
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) December 4, 2023

Part of the Warriors' problem is that some of their core veteran talent has started the season slowly. Klay Thompson, Chris Paul, Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green have all had their fair share of issues. In addition, Golden State's bench rotation hasn't been able to step up. We've seen flashes from Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski but not enough to feel confident that Steve Kerr's team is about to turn a corner.

If Golden State is serious about maximizing the final years of its dynasty, it needs to go all-in. Keeping young talent on the bench, barely getting any developmental time, isn't fair to the young players or to the veterans chasing another championship banner.

There is enough talent on the roster to facilitate a trade for a big-name veteran who could quickly slot into the rotation and make a difference. With the trade Feb. 8 deadline starting to loom in the distance, the Warriors front office will need to make a decision. If the Dubs choose to stick with the current roster, they're going to have a difficult time making it out of the West, and that will be another year wasted.

More must-reads: