According to multiple reports, the Golden State Warriors have swapped forward Gerald Wallace for Philadelphia 76ers’ forward/center Jason Thompson. This will be the second time that both the aforementioned players are on the move.
The Warriors acquired Wallace earlier in the offseason in a trade with the Boston Celtics involving David Lee. The trade saved Golden State a ton of money, but having Wallace’s $10.1 million contract on the books was still senseless.
Thompson, meanwhile, has two years remaining on his contract but only one year of it is fully guaranteed. He is owed $6.9 million for the upcoming season, which saves Golden State more money.
Additionally, Thompson, 29, may actually find quality minutes in Steve Kerr’s rotation. Although he has had a disappointing career, he provides size, athleticism, and rebounding at the four and five positions. Thompson, who was traded from the Sacramento Kings to the Sixers earlier in the offseason, averaged 9.4 points and 6.9 rebounds in seven seasons for Sac-Town.
This was a brilliant move by the Warriors front office. Not only do they save money, but they get a somewhat young player who will likely earn minutes and produce.
Thompson is a decent replacement for David Lee, who the team adored very much. At the end of the day, it is business and the defending champions had to find a way to shred salary to re-sign Draymond Green. They have chopped up some salary and have ultimately landed a solid player.
For the Sixers, the rebuilding project continues. Since Wallace’s contract is expiring, this move makes sense for Philly as well because his contract will simply erase off their pay roll next summer. Wallace may not find play time in Philadelphia but instead serve as a mentor for the young guys.
When the Warriors first obtained Wallace, many were surprised that the team did not stretch his contract to waive him. However it has been an interesting turn of events, as they have used Wallace to slice more salary and received a serviceable player in return.