It finally happened.

The Golden State Warriors traded center James Wiseman in a three team deal. The Detroit Pistons are sending forward Saddiq Bey to the Atlanta Hawks and forward Kevin Knox to the Warriors. The Hawks are sending the Warriors five second round picks, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. 

But that’s not all. 

Moments later, the Portland Trailblazers traded guard Gary Payton II for the five second-round picks the Warriors received from the Hawks. Payton — a Warriors fan-favorite — has only played in 14 games this season. 

The Warriors sent Knox to the Blazers as part of the Payton deal, per Wojnarowski. 

Wiseman — the former No. 2 overall pick in 2020 — has been circulating in rumors and speculation as the trade deadline was approaching. 

The Warriors currently sit at No. 9 in the Western Conference with a record of 28-27. With the team struggling and Wiseman not getting consistent minutes or developing as the Warriors were hoping, the Warriors decided to ship him out to Detroit. 

In his three years in Golden State, Wiseman suited up for 27 games his rookie season before being shut down with a knee injury. Wiseman averaged 11.5 points and 5.8 rebounds. He missed the entire 2021-22 NBA season with injuries and has played in 21 games this season. 

Wiseman has been in and out of the lineup since the start of the season. Though the Warriors were hoping that this would be a breakout year for the big man, injuries and inconsistent play hindered his development. 

Getting back Payton II will be a plus for the bench depth. Guard Donte DiVincenzo has been thriving in the backup guard role, but having Payton II will be critical, as he already knows the system and provides an element of offensive verticality and rim pressure which DiVincenzo hasn’t.

Additionally, the Warriors save more than $30 million in luxury tax in the 2023-24 season, according to ESPN.

(Photo credit: David Berding / Getty Images)