What’s next for Golden State?
Surprising names on their list include Nick Young, Michael Beasley
So the Warriors’ top six players are signed. And the price for them is a pretty penny.
With 11 players under contract, the Warriors’ salary bill is already up to around $130 million, even though we don’t know the full number for a few of them. Last year, the Warriors paid $100 million for the entire roster.
They have four spots left, maybe five, to fill out the roster. They also have a few needs and some tough decisions to make. First, a look at the depth chart based on who is under contract:
Point guard: Stephen Curry, Shaun Livingston
Shooting guard: Klay Thompson, Patrick McCaw
Small forward: Kevin Durant, Andre Iguodala
Power forward: Draymond Green, Jordan Bell
Center: David West, Damian Jones, Kevon Looney
So where do the Warriors go from here? Some needs and names to fill them:
JaVale McGee is interested in returning to the Warriors. It would have to be for the minimum, $2.11 million. The question is whether he gets a bigger offer in free agency.
From what I’m hearing, he would take less money to stay with the Warriors if it is close. But with West already re-signed, what would McGee coming back mean for Zaza Pachulia?
Keeping all three seems like a lot. Because in addition to Jones, the Warriors drafted Jordan Bell, who would play center for the Warriors. With Green, West, Jones, Bell and Looney on the roster, they have four options at center. Adding McGee and Pachulia pushes them to seven — which they had last season but Jones, James Michael McAdoo and Looney rarely played.
Note: Looney is still under contract so the Warriors will have to dump his salary somewhere or cut him and eat the $1.47 million if they want to open up that roster spot.
Ian Clark is probably going to get offered more than the minimum, which makes him too rich for the Warriors’ blood. And the truth is they probably want a more reliable scorer.
Vince Carter is an obvious option. He also fits into the personality of the locker room.
But a name I’m hearing you probably wouldn’t expect: Nick Young.
Sources tell me the Warriors are in pursuit of Swaggy P. They believe their locker room can handle, even do some good for, the reputed eccentric guard. And after his production last season with the Lakers, the Warriors think he can be potent surrounded by all their talent.
Young, who is 32 and entering his 11th season, set career-highs in 3-point percentage (40.2) and true-shooting percentage (.588) under former Warriors assistant Luke Walton. The 6-foot-7 shooting guard doesn’t do much else but shoot, but on a second unit with Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson, he stands to get a few open looks.
Can the Warriors get him for the minimum? Doubtful. But they are willing to use the mini mid-level exception.
Carter, who is 40 and entering his 20th season, can probably be acquired for the minimum. He can stick open 3s and still finish some. And he’d be motivated to win a ring in the same way David West was.
In actuality, Durant is the backup for Green. But when Durant hurt his knee in the regular season, their shortage of players who can switch from small forward to power forward was highlighted. They signed Matt Barnes, and he would welcome a return. But the Warriors want more athleticism and offense at that spot.
A name I’m hearing the Warriors are eyeing: Michael Beasley.
Beasley, 28, logged his most minutes in five years last season in Milwaukee. He shot 53.2 percent from the field and 41.9 percent from 3-point range, both career highs, in 16.7 minutes off the bench. In the playoffs, the Bucks won when Beasley logged his highest minutes, totaling 13 points in 20 minutes.
Once again, this is the Warriors banking on their environment, their system, maximizing the potential in a player — and their depth covering his weaknesses and their locker room smoothing out whatever rough edges.
Beasley’s reputation is not great, and his career has never matched his talent. But the Warriors resurrected McGee’s career. At worst, Beasley doesn’t work out and they just eat the minimum salary and cut him (if he is on a guaranteed contract).
Another option here is Zach Randolph. But it figures to be a tough sell to get him to leave Memphis, even with a chance for a ring.
This is less of a priority but it’s not nothing. Since Livingston has an unofficial minutes limit, the Warriors could use someone else to come in and run the point in spots where Curry is not on the floor.
The option now after Livingston is Iguodala, also a guy on an unofficial minutes limit. The Warriors used Ian Clark and McCaw in spots, especially in garbage time, but it wouldn’t hurt to have a real point guard to eat those minutes up and be ready in case of injury.
The Warriors were ready to address this need last year with the signing of Jose Calderon. But then Durant got injured, forcing them to switch gears and get Barnes.
It’s a rough free agency for point guards so the Warriors will have options. Chances are they will have a better chance with someone at the end of their career or a youngster, as a point guard in his prime may not settle for the minimum. And since they have quite a few up-in-age players, it might be smarter to go young at point guard.
With that in mind, one good option might be Trey Burke. He is only 24 and finds himself a free agent after Washington declined to extend him an offer. Giving him a chance to sit behind Curry and learn might be a good sell. Plus Burke has growth potential and starting experience with the Utah Jazz, in case he is needed to be called on.
Another option, perhaps a better one given he has more size, is Tyler Ennis. He might be harder to secure for a lesser price. But, again, he might be very interested in learning from Curry.
Contact Marcus Thompson II at mthomps2@bayareanewsgroup.com.