Sports
Warriors Minimum Contracts to Pursue as Late NBA Free Agency Steals – Bleacher Report
Considering the (extremely) limited budget the Golden State Warriors have had at their disposal, they’ve done reasonably well for themselves in the 2023 NBA offseason.
They have subtracted some talent (namely, Jordan Poole and Donte DiVincenzo), but they may have found better fits (Chris Paul, Dario Šarić, Brandin Podziemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis). They also managed to re-sign Draymond Green, which might have been the league’s biggest make-or-break move of free agency.
But they still have at least one more roster spot to fill. Fortunately, there are still some interesting, potentially affordable options available. Let’s break down three of the most intriguing players on the board.
Golden State has one traditional center with NBA experience on the roster. That isn’t necessarily an issue—Kevon Looney was the one traditional big on the 2021-22 title team—but the Warriors might be in the market for another center, at least as an insurance policy.
Bismack Biyombo could scratch that itch.
He may not have a lot of offensive skills, but he could do a lot of the same grunt-work duties that Looney has mastered. Looney has a deeper bag as a scorer, but Biyombo could mimic his screen-setting, rebounding and paint protection. He would add a shot-blocking element this defense hasn’t had in some time.
The Warriors couldn’t count on him for playoff minutes—his career 55.6 free-throw percentage is easy to exploit—but that could be the case with anyone they sign at this point.
Offensively speaking, Golden State’s perimeter group looks great. On defense, though, it looks old, slow and limited athletically.
Adding Javonte Green could change that.
As long as he puts the right knee injury that hampered him last season behind him, he could emerge as a key piece of this defensive puzzle. He is athletic, strong and a hard worker, a combination that allows the 6’4″ swingman to defend all but the center position.
He is limited on offense even when healthy, but he could find some utility on that end within this system as an off-ball cutter, transition attacker and spot-up shooter.
If the Warriors want to up their explosiveness, they should give Derrick Jones Jr. a long look.
The 26-year-old has absurd bounce, even by NBA standards. While his tools are arguably more attractive than his on-court talents, he is a tireless and versatile defender. He could also find his calling as a finisher in this offense.
Despite standing just 6’6″, he can log minutes at any of the frontcourt positions, including center. Between that bounce and his sweeping 7’0″ wingspan, he can play much larger than his size. He can also cause all kinds of chaos on defense with blocks, steals and how-did-he-get-that rebounds.
He has physical gifts very few players in Golden State can match. The Warriors might see him as someone they can mold into a useful, two-way role.