All the Wings

Two quick little one-for-ones as the NBA season has gotten underway. Rumors abound that owners are already looking to shift pieces, so study the recent all-time trade analysis breakdown and let's get some more going! 

Trade ID#91:

• Swamp Dragons receive D'Angelo Russell
• Funk Coalition receive Taurean Prince

Just two weeks into the 2019 season, Funk Coalition and Swamp Dragons have teamed up again for a trade. Not happy with being on the (so far) losing end of the Khris Middleton for Gordon Hayward and Andrew Wiggins deal, GM Jon came back for another of Swamp’s slumping wings: Taurean Prince.

Armed with Paul George, Middleton, and Prince at small forward, Swamp needed a point guard to slot in place of Markelle Fultz and it looks like D’Angelo is the semi-answer. (This probably speaks more about Fultz’s shaky sophomore season...) A well placed source from inside Swamp’s camp got this quote from Eddie: "I really hate Russell but I do need a PG. So it’s whatever.” The good news is that Russell is actually still only twenty-two years old and currently on his fourth NBA season, while Prince is entering his third campaign at the age of twenty-four. Let's see how this plays out, otherwise Funk could be back for Paul George!

Trade ID#92:

• Team Thien receive Andrew Wiggins
• Funk Coalition receive Nicolas Batum

Despite seemingly league wide enmity for Wiggins, Team Thien was glad to welcome the still twenty-three year old Timberwolf to his team, since New Era only had to give up 2019 RD2 selection Nicolas Batum to do it. The much maligned Wiggins averaged 17.7 PTS, 4.4 REB, 2.0 AST, 1.4 3PT, and 1.1 STL, 0.6 BLK last year, on 43.8 FG%. That’s not awful is it!? Is this a case of real life hate turning into fantasy hate? Wiggins will be happily reunited and mentored by Jimmy Butler — Thien’s haul from last year. What could possible go wrong!?

As for Funk, they continue to collect wings, and dumped the remaining remnant of their last major rebuild — which occurred a mere twenty months ago — in D'Angelo. To add it all up, Khris Middleton and Russell has turned into Hayward, Prince, and Batum. Positional versatility and defensive switchability is apparently key for Funk because "defense wins championships!"

The other good thing is that Jon has now successfully acquired his long coveted pieces of Fat Jubas’ 2012 title run in Hayward and Batum. Can a Kevin Garnett signing be far behind? [He's available, thanks ESPN!] Despite Batum’s advancing age and Hayward’s slow recovery, a Funk title is surely in the the cards soon, aka Funk remains open to deal some more...