The Warriors and Pistons came to an agreement as part of a four-team trade that also involves the Atlanta Hawks and Portland Trail Blazers. As a result, James Wiseman will join the Pistons, while Gary Payton II heads to the Warriors. In exchange, the Hawks received Saddiq Bey and the Trail Blazers received Kevin Knox II, along with five future second-round picks.
Saddiq Bey, who has been with the Pistons for three seasons and was previously a starter, now comes off the bench, averaging 14.8 points and 4.7 rebounds per game. He saw a decline in his statistics from the previous season, where he recorded 16.1 points per game. Meanwhile, the 6-foot-7 Bey will look to bounce back and make an impact for the Hawks.
The Atlanta Hawks now have a surplus of small forwards with the arrival of Saddiq Bey, as De’Andre Hunter holds down the starting role. Meanwhile, James Wiseman, who was traded to the Detroit Pistons, had a difficult time with injuries during his stint with the Golden State Warriors. In the 21 games he played this season, Wiseman recorded 6.9 points and 3.5 rebounds per game, and was absent from 17 of the team’s last 19 contests.
According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, the Pistons had been eyeing John Collins of the Hawks and had been showing interest in acquiring Bey since December.
The Hawks have made multiple appearances in the NBA playoffs and have won one NBA championship, which came in 1958 when they were still based in St. Louis. In recent years, the Hawks have been building a young and talented roster, with players like Trae Young, John Collins, and De’Andre Hunter leading the way. Under the guidance of Head Coach Lloyd Pierce, the team is looking to make a push for the playoffs and compete for an NBA championship in the near future.