Andrew Wiggins (and Al Horford) Trade
(3/2/22)
DTC Porkchop Express trades Andrew Wiggins (SG/SF, Warriors), Al Horford (C/PF, Celtics and 12th Round MLB Pick (this year)
to
Sporty Straus for 4th Round MLB Pick (this year)
DTC Porkchop Express trade grade: D+
Sporty Strauss trade grade: B
Trade Summary:
Wave the white flag already, DTC Porkchop Express. The current #1 Seed in basketball and the current favorite to finish 2nd in the entire League of Leagues just decided to SELL. It’s a cowardly move. Instead of getting the 1-seed, it probably saddles him with the 4-seed and a matchup against the team he just traded with, Sporty Strauss.
In a normal situation, this trade would be fair. Maybe DTC would even come out on top. But if DTC Porkchop Express plays Sporty Strauss in round 1, Sporty Strauss just got an awesome deal for these two players. Yes, that MLB Pick is a legitimate asset – it’s in the range for the 9th and 10th keepers in MLB – but Wiggins and Horford are solid players. Wiggins’ play has slipped, but he’s still scoring mid-20’s most nights. Horford has regained his early-season form as of late.
On Sporty Strauss’ side, these players are going to help him in the playoffs. With a banged up roster, he needed to make some sort of move to try to hold off until Ben Simmons, Gordon Hayward and Draymond Green can return. And those returns sound more like ‘ifs’ than ‘when's’ right now. Now that he’s bolstered the back end of his roster, he regains status as a favorite to make the championship game.
As Wait ‘Til Next Year’s 3-seeded roster is falling apart, the 6-seeded MN Moose Knuckles could play the 1-seed Win’s Up Doc in the 2nd round leaving Strauss to draw The Pullies. However, the MN Moose Knuckles are gaining ground on winning that division. If they get the 3-seed, they draw The Pullies instead. They are 80 points behind Wait ‘Til Next Year right now.
Strauss probably wants to play those Pullies, who are sitting on the sideline as teams like the MN Moose Knuckles and Sporty Strauss make moves to bolster their rosters. This is a move that increases Sporty Strauss’ NBA championship odds dramatically, and making that championship game all but locks up a League of Leagues victory before MLB even starts, giving him immense flexibility in the MLB draft to go young and build for the future. That alone would be worth forgoing that 4th round pick in the MLB draft. Getting a 12th back helps assuage some of the concerns of giving up the 4th as well.
But if Strauss still loses in the first round of the playoffs, this deal could obviously look very bad next week.