Generally, the NBA’s best young prospects go to the league’s worst teams.
That’s due to the lottery system. The league’s basement dwellers have better odds of landing a top pick in the draft. It also works out well for everyone. Young players get longer leashes in systems that actively prioritize their development.
It doesn’t always go that way. Sometimes, a contender bottoms out for a single season. Other times, they’re owed a lottery team’s first-round pick. In either case, a top prospect can end up on a contender.
The former reason led the Golden State Warriors to acquire James Wiseman. Meanwhile, the latter had them landing Jonathan Kuminga.
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Now, they’re dealing with some consequences. Neither young man looks ready to contribute to a contending NBA team.
Could they flip them both (and more) for a player who is?
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