Lower stats, but still a big role
The Chronicle is reviewing the season of each Warriors player after the team’s championship run.
After two years as a coleader of the second unit with Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston adjusted to Steve Kerr’s staggered rotation this past season. Seldom were Livingston and Iguodala on the court without at least two of the Warriors’ four stars, Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson.
Though his scoring and assists were down, Livingston was still the same savvy facilitator who helped guide Golden State to its previous two NBA Finals appearances. His 54.7 percent shooting from the field was a career best. A master of pacing, he ratcheted up the tempo and found biggername teammates in their preferred spots.
It hardly mattered that Livingston attempted only three three-pointers. While Curry and Thompson feasted from beyond the arc, Livingston’s playing style was more of a throwback. He used his length to post up smaller defenders at will.
Offseason outlook: Of Golden State’s 10 free agents, Livingston is shoulder-to-shoulder with Iguodala as the biggest question marks. He also shares many of the same goals as Iguodala: Both have said they’d prefer to retire as Warriors, but each might also find it difficult to turn down a more lucrative deal from another team.
And both will likely have their futures decided by the decision Durant makes.
If the Finals MVP signs the maximum extension for which he is eligible this summer — which starts at roughly $35.4 million per season — Golden State would need to renounce its rights to Iguodala and Livingston to create room under the salary cap.
But if Durant opts to wait on his long-term extension — and accept $4 million less than he could make — the Warriors could use their Bird rights to re-sign Iguodala and Livingston, among others. Even then, Golden State would almost certainly not be able to offer a contract as valuable as other teams. The decision for Livingston would then be whether he’d accept less money to play for the team that has won two of the last three NBA titles — and is the favorite heading into 2017-18 — or make more money with a less-talented team.
The Warriors would also have to figure out how much they are willing to offer — in terms of money and years — given the fact that Livingston’s production could decline steeply in the next season or two. Though only 31, his injury history limits him to no more than 30 minutes a night.