What the Warriors Need to Do in Free Agency to Stay Golden
Contents
- The Warriors’ needs in free agency
- How the Warriors can stay golden in free agency
- The top targets for the Warriors in free agency
- The Warriors’ strategy in free agency
- How the Warriors can improve their roster in free agency
- The Warriors’ financial situation in free agency
- The Warriors’ luxury tax situation in free agency
- How the Warriors can stay under the luxury tax in free agency
- The Warriors’ free agents
- What the Warriors need to do with their free agents
The Warriors have a lot of important decisions to make in Free agency this offseason if they want to stay on top of the NBA. Here’s a look at what they need to do to keep their core together and remain a title contender.
The Warriors’ needs in free agency
The Warriors have several needs to address in free agency if they want to stay Golden.
First and foremost, they need to re-sign Kevin Durant Durant is set to become a free agent and there is no guarantee that he will return to Golden State The Warriors need to do everything in their power to make sure Durant stays put.
Secondly, the Warriors need to address their backcourt depth. They lost Shaun Livingston and Andre Iguodala this offseason, leaving them perilously thin behind Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson They need to sign or trade for a backup point guard and a wing player who can provide some scoring punch off the bench.
Lastly, the Warriors need to add some size down low. They lost Center Demarcus Cousins to injury last season and never really replaced him. They could use another big body in the frontcourt who can help them out on the glass and on defense.
The Warriors have their work cut out for them this offseason if they want to stay Golden.
How the Warriors can stay golden in free agency
There are a number of ways the Warriors can stay golden in free agency but perhaps the most important is to retain their core group of superstars. Stephen Curry Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson are all set to become unrestricted free agents this summer, and it’s vital that the Warriors keep them in the fold if they want to remain a dynasty.
Beyond just re-signing their stars, the Warriors will need to add some complementary pieces to their roster. They lost key role players like David West and Zaza Pachulia this past offseason, and they’ll need to replace them with similarly impactful players.
The Warriors also have some decisions to make about their Coaching Staff Head Coach Steve Kerr is signed through the 2020 season, but his top two assistants – Mike Brown and Ron Adams – are both set to become free agents this summer. It will be important for the Warriors to retain at least one of them, as they provide invaluable stability and experience.
All in all, it will be a busy offseason for the Warriors. But if they can make all the right moves, they’ll stay golden for years to come.
The top targets for the Warriors in free agency
The Warriors have some big decisions to make this offseason as they look to defend their NBA title Some of their Key Players are free agents and they will need to decide whether to bring them back or let them go. Additionally, they will need to decide how to use their limited salary cap space
The top targets for the Warriors in free agency are:
1. Kevin Durant Durant is one of the best players in the world and was a key piece of the Warriors’ championship team. He is expected to opt out of his contract and become a free agent and the Warriors will need to decide whether to try to re-sign him or let him go.
2. Klay Thompson Thompson is another key player for the Warriors, and he is also eligible for free agency The Warriors will need to decide whether they want to keep both him and Durant or let one of them go in order to create more salary cap space.
3. Demarcus Cousins Cousins is a talented player, but he is coming off of a major injury (Achilles tear). The Warriors will need to decide whether they want to take a risk on him in free agency or not.
4. Andre Iguodala: Iguodala is a veteran player who has been with the Warriors for several years. He is a versatile player who can play multiple positions but he is also getting older (34 years old). The Warriors will need to decide whether they want to keep him or let him go in order to create more salary cap space.
The Warriors’ strategy in free agency
Now that Kevin Durant has announced his decision to sign with the Brooklyn Nets the Warriors face an uncertain future. They will have to decide how to use their remaining salary cap space and who to target in free agency
The Warriors’ strategy in free agency will be shaped by their goals for the upcoming season They may choose to sign veterans who can provide leadership and mentorship to a young team. They may also look for players who can fill specific needs, such as shooting or defense.
Whatever their strategy, the Warriors will need to be smart in Free Agency if they want to stay competitive in the Western Conference They will have to make tough decisions about which players to sign and how much money to offer them. But if they can make the right moves, they can keep their dynasty alive for years to come.
How the Warriors can improve their roster in free agency
After winning their third NBA Championship in four years, the Warriors find themselves in a unique position among NBA teams They have very little room to improve their roster.
With only a few minor holes to fill, Golden State will likely look to add role players who can provide depth and shooting off the bench. Given their limited salary cap space, the Warriors will likely need to use the mid-Level Exception and/or sign players to minimum-salary contracts.
Here are a few realistic targets for the Warriors in free agency
Shooting guard: Wayne Ellington
Ellington is coming off a career year with the Miami Heat averaging 11.2 points and shooting 39.2 percent from three-point range He would provide valuable bench scoring and shooting for the Warriors.
Center: Amile Jefferson
Jefferson played well for the Minnesota Timberwolves last season, averaging 9.7 points and 6.1 rebounds in 22.1 minutes per game. He’s not a flashy player, but he would be a solid backup big man behind Draymond Green and Jordan Bell.
Power forward: Anthony Tolliver
Tolliver is another player who can shoot the three-ball well, having hit 42 percent of his threes last season with Detroit Pistons He’s not much of a rebounder or defender, but he would give Steve Kerr another floor-spacing shooter to play Power Forward in small lineups.
The Warriors’ financial situation in free agency
The Warriors are in a unique situation heading into Free Agency They are coming off of a fifth consecutive trip to the NBA Finals but with Klay Thompson expected to miss most, if not all, of next season with a torn Achilles tendon, the team will have to carefully navigate the luxury tax line in order to stay competitive.
The Warriors currently have eight players under contract for next season with a combined salary of just over $140 million. With the salary cap projected to be $109 million and the luxury tax threshold at $132 million, it is clear that the Warriors will need to make some moves in order to avoid paying a stiff penalty.
One option would be to sign-and-trade one of their free agents such as Kevon Looney or Andre Iguodala. This would give them an opportunity to receive something in return for the player while also getting under the tax line. Another option would be to use their mid-level exception on a player like Wayne Ellington or Wes Matthews.
Whichever route they decide to take, it is crucial that the Warriors maintain financial flexibility heading into next season. With Thompson expected to return at some point and Stephen Curry still in his prime, the team will need to be able add pieces around them in order to remain contenders for years to come.
The Warriors’ luxury tax situation in free agency
The Warriors are currently projected to be over the NBA’s luxury tax threshold for next season, which means they will have to pay a penalty for every dollar they are over the threshold. This could have a big impact on their ability to sign Free Agents this offseason, as they will have to be very careful about how much they spend.
One option for the Warriors would be to use the “stretch provision” on one of their players’ contracts. This would allow them to spread out the player’s salary over a longer period of time, which would lower their luxury tax bill. Another option would be to sign players to shorter-term contracts, so that they can come off the books earlier and avoid paying the luxury tax.
Whichever route they decide to go, it is clear that the Warriors will have to be very strategic in how they approach Free Agency this offseason if they want to stay under the luxury tax threshold.
How the Warriors can stay under the luxury tax in free agency
The Warriors are currently over the luxury tax threshold, meaning that they will have to pay a penalty for every dollar they spend above that threshold. In order to avoid paying the luxury tax, the Warriors will need to make some moves in Free Agency
The first move the Warriors need to make is renouncing their rights to pending free agents Kevon Looney, Jordan Bell, and Jonas Jerebko. This will allow them to clear enough cap space to sign a maximum contract player.
The second move the Warriors need to make is signing a Free Agent center who can fill the void left by Looney. There are a few centers who could fit this bill, including Demarcus Cousins Julius Randle and Enes Kanter
The third and final move the Warriors need to make is signing a shooting guard who can provide some scoring punch off the bench. A few players who could fit this role include Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Tyreke Evans and Marco Belinelli.
The Warriors’ free agents
The Warriors have some big decisions to make this offseason, as several of their key players are set to become free agents
What the Warriors need to do with their free agents
The Warriors have some big decisions to make this offseason with several of their Key Players set to become free agents Most notably, they have to decide what to do with superstar guard Stephen Curry who will be an restricted free agent. They also have to make a decision on Kevin Durant who has a player option for next season.
The good news for the Warriors is that they will have plenty of cap space to work with, even if they do decide to bring back both Curry and Durant. They could also look to use some of their cap space to sign another impact player or two in Free Agency
Here are a few things the Warriors need to do this offseason to stay Golden:
1) Re-sign Stephen Curry Obviously, the top priority for the Warriors this offseason will be re-signing Curry. He is one of the best players in the NBA and has been a crucial part of their success over the past few years. It will likely take a max contract offer to keep him in Golden State but it will be worth it for the Warriors to keep their best player happy and locked up long-term.
2) Decide on Kevin Durant’s future: The Warriors will also need to make a decision on Kevin Durant’s future this offseason. He has a player option for next season and could choose to become a free agent again next summer if he opts out. However, if the Warriors feel like they have a chance at winning another title next season, they may try to convince him to stay and see if he can help them win another championship.
3) Use their cap space wisely: The Warriors will have plenty of cap space this offseason regardless of what happens with Curry and Durant. They should look to use that cap space wisely by signing another impact player or two in free agency They have been linked to several big names such as Kawhi Leonard and Kyrie Irving in recent weeks, so it will be interesting to see who they ultimately end up signing this summer.