Thunder helped Warriors make arguably the most underrated move of the offseason

When the OKC Thunder traded Lindy Waters III to Golden State this past summer in exchange for a second-round draft pick, no one thought it would have much of an on-court impact for either side. 

Oklahoma City would eventually snag Ajay Mitchell at 38 overall which, in turn, made Waters' ouster a bit easier to manage.

Fast forward several months later, however, it's evident that the Dubs ended up striking on one of the most underrated moves the entire offseason, as Waters has found himself playing a key role within coach Steve Kerr's rotation.

Former Thunder Lindy Water III turning heads with Warriors

Landing Waters on draft day cost the Warriors practically nothing, as they coughed up their 52nd overall pick but would soon acquire it again as the night progressed, paying OKC cash consideration to reobtain it. 

This move did not hurt the title-contending Thunder, as the forward was a player who didn't even play half the contests he was eligible for throughout his three-year stint in the Sooner State and averaged just 7.4 minutes per game during the 2023-24 season.

Now in Golden State, however, it appears he's playing through somewhat of a career renaissance. His role has drastically changed, becoming a regular on this rejuvenated Warriors team, and has started in half of this year's matchups while averaging 17.3 minutes a night.

This is also the perfect place for someone with his skillset, as they focus on three-point shooting, which is the area where the Oklahoma State product thrives. 

So far this season, the sharpshooter is shooting 35.6 percent from long range, and taking 3.7 threes per contest. 

This percentage puts him at seventh overall on the Warriors, while his 3.7 attempts rank him in at fifth on the team.

One part of his game that he has always had to work on is his defense, but head coach Mark Daigneault had some words about Waters before their recent matchup in Golden State. 

“He was gonna make things easier systematically, and then he got stronger. Defensively, he wasn't what he is right now, initially, but he got stronger and the game slowed down for him," Daigneault said.

His defense has improved, but still has room for growth, only averaging 0.6 steals each night. 

With all this said, Waters is one of the main reasons the Warriors have had such a great start to the year, as he is eighth in minutes played per game on this squad and has stepped up in the absence of De’Anthony Melton. 

Even though Thunder fans may miss the hometown kid, the trade did, in many ways, help, as it opened up a roster spot to slot Ajay Mitchell into. Quietly, he has had a great rookie campaign coming off the bench for the young squad. 

Still, it is a bit bittersweet to see Lindy Waters thrive and excel on another team and show off what kind of player he truly is.