One of the biggest storylines of the 2024 NBA Postseason was that names typically defining the playoffs (LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant), were either absent or quickly bounced, signaling the shift into a new era of the league.

The Golden State Warriors, though, have no interest in letting the league pass them by. Willing to part with two of their more prominent players, the Warriors are pushing to make some serious changes, per The Ringer’s Logan Murdock:

Here’s a look at the play of both Wiggins and Paul with the Warriors and why moving on from them could be in the best interest of the team.

Wiggins’ Play Has Hit a Decline

Despite his efforts to help the Warriors secure their fourth championship, it may be time for the pair to split

When the Warriors were on the cusp of winning the 2022 NBA Finals, one of the largest conversations surrounding the league was whether Wiggins or Curry deserved the honor of being named Finals MVP. While the award was ultimately given to Curry, it shows how impactful Wiggins’ time with the team was.

Unfortunately, his play has also hit a decline since winning the chip. Aside from his stats decreasing in almost every metric, Wiggins also received his only all-star appearance before winning the Finals.

All this could be used to put together a pretty compelling trade package involving Wiggins, as these are assets that any team could use. Plus, Wiggins is a player who has a history of playing as much as possible, missing only one game in his first four seasons and playing an average of 70.6 games per season.

Wiggins is set to be an unrestricted free agent in 2027, and will have a cap hit with the Warriors of $26,276,786 for the 2024-25 season.

Paul is Past His Prime

Although arguably one of the best to ever play the position, Paul is a far cry from the player he used to be

Paul, on the other hand, was brought in last season as part of an attempt to keep the franchise’s hopes of competing alive. Unfortunately, this didn’t pan out for both Paul and the Warriors.

While his numbers are significantly worse than they have been throughout his career, Paul’s play still suggests he can help a team succeed. His playmaking is still among the best in the league, and a season playing with one of the most renowned backcourts of all time doesn’t exactly get to showcase that skillset in its best light.

Paul will be an unrestricted free agent in 2025 and will have a hit against the Warriors cap of a cool $30,000,000 for the 2024-25 season.

Trading These Players Can Set Up Bigger Moves

Wiggins and Paul’s biggest detriments to the team are their salaries

Neither Wiggins nor Paul are bad basketball players, even relative to the NBA’s quality of the sport. However, when they’re being paid as much as they are, their production is expected to either meet a certain caliber or compliment the team’s style well enough to justify their compensation.

Unfortunately for these two, they accomplished neither this season as the Warriors failed even to reach the first round of the playoffs. If the Warriors decide to hold onto Wiggins and Paul going into next season, they will be required to dedicate a massive portion of their salary cap to the pair.

While both Paul and Wiggins have been linked to other teams, any moves have yet to be made. If the Warriors do decide to move on from one or both of these players, it’ll greatly expand their flexibility for the kind of roster they can build going into next season.

Related

3 Best Offseason Moves for the Golden State Warriors

The Golden State Warriors could make serious noise this offseason, even while having limited assets.