David Lee Traded: Fans Will Greatly Miss Him
Fans of the Golden State Warriors have known for months that the team would part ways with David Lee, and now that’s a reality. Multiple sites, including San Jose Mercury News, are reporting that the Warriors have traded Lee to the Boston Celtics.
In return, the Warriors will obtain 32 year-old forward, Gerald Wallace. With the large contract awarded to Draymond Green, this trade was vital to clear up cap space for the team moving forward.
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Despite being a recent All-Star, Lee found decreased playing time due to injury and team strategy. Fans quickly learned early in the season that speed and quickness were keys to the Warriors’ attack. Lee may not have been the highest scorer, but he is a proven force when it comes to defense. However, Lee did not fit into Golden State’s strategy this year because he lacked quickness.
Just think back to all of the lightening-fast players on the Warriors’ roster. Andre Iguodala, Stephen Curry, and the recent contract extension recipient, Leandro Barbosa, all move with and without the ball at a rapid pace.
Barbosa’s contract extension is worth $2.5 million for one year, and it’s clear that the Warriors want to keep asserting their “small ball” approach. Because of that, the only sensible solution to the David Lee situation was to part ways with him. Lee was expected to earn over $15 million with the Warriors next season. It doesn’t make much sense to keep a guy who doesn’t fit with the current scheme and costs such a large amount.
When it comes to it, trading Lee was a matter of money and personnel. Aside from that, Lee is a player that Warriors’ fans will greatly miss.
Most fans would agree that this year’s championship win did not come out of nowhere. The success this season manifested from milestones the Warriors reached in the past few years, and David Lee was a key factor.
Before Draymond Green became a shut-down defender and dynamic shooter, Lee was the team’s most productive defender. Lee was always there for key rebounds and baskets, and he was a great force that helped lead the Warriors to the playoffs three years in a row.
Without Lee’s defensive contributions, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson may not have had as many opportunities to develop into the great shooters they are today. Yes, Curry has been the star that turned the Warriors into a playoff team these past few years, but they could not have done it without Lee.
Lee certainly was not as popular as Curry in the eyes of media and the fans, but he did everything to help this team. With his new home in Boston, Lee has another opportunity to became a featured player. Lee was one of the players on the Warriors who deserved a championship ring the most, and now he will reassert himself as a greatly valuable player on the Celtics.
In regards to the Warriors, Wallace should be a decent addition with his size. Height is one of the things that Golden State lacks, so Wallace will be able to provide defensive support off the bench. He had limited playing time last season, but a new home with the reigning NBA Champions should be an exciting situation for any player.
Warriors fans are greatly appreciative of all the years David Lee put into this organization. We wish him the best of luck in the remaining years of his career.
Aside from that, the trade was definitely the correct decision for Golden State. They cleared up salary cap room, and they acquired a promising bench player.