Warriors Rumors: Playing Fact or Fiction with Latest Buzz Ahead of NBA Free Agency
The Golden State Warriors' first NBA offseason under new general manager, Mike Dunleavy Jr., is off to a busy start.
They traded away Jordan Poole, brought in Chris Paul and added a pair of prospects on draft night (Brandin Podziemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis).
This is no time for Dunleavy and Co. to catch their breath, though. The free-agent market opens Friday, and the Dubs will keep plenty busy with player retention and searches for upgrades.
Let's dig into the latest rumors around this team and see which ones might have merit.
Draymond Green Re-Signing in Golden State?
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The Rumor: "All signs" point toward Draymond Green getting a new deal in Golden State, per Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated.
The Verdict: Probably fact.
If Golden State hopes to stay in the championship race, it has to bring back Green. He is vitally important to how this team operates at both ends.
His elite defensive versatility is the backbone of the Warriors' switch-heavy scheme. His screen-setting and dime-dropping help set this motion offense into...well, motion. As much as people talk about how this system elevates the 33-year-old, not enough has been said about how critical he is to its operation.
That's why the Warriors must do everything they can to bring Green back. He'll have other suitors, though, so it's on Golden State to present an offer that matches or comes close to the money he could find on the open market.
If the Warriors try to pinch pennies here, Green is almost assuredly walking out the door. He has too many options to have to settle for a deeply discounted deal. But if the money is similar, he'll almost certainly stay put and try to increase the organization's championship count.
Dubs Dangled Poole for Anunoby?
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The Rumor: Golden State tried shopping Jordan Poole to the Toronto Raptors in hopes of landing O.G. Anunoby, per The Athletic's Tim Kawakami.
The Verdict: Likely fact, but a comical idea.
The Warriors didn't take a ton of trade assets into the offseason, which limited their buying power. That was a bummer, since some ideal-on-paper players were either on the trade market or could conceivably end up there.
Anunoby, for instance, would have been a dream get. The Dubs need to get bigger, stronger, more athletic and better on defense along the perimeter, and he could have scratched every itch while also adding value on offense.
Of course, the 25-year-old would be a plug-and-play fit for almost anyone, and many teams could trump Golden State's trade offer for him.
So, while it's likely the Warriors dangled a Poole-centered package to the Toronto Raptors, it's unlikely that discussion lasted very long. If the Raptors end up dealing Anunoby, they'll get something far greater in return.
Knicks Going After Donte DiVincenzo?
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The Rumor: There has been "growing noise among league personnel" about Donte DiVincenzo joining the New York Knicks, per Yahoo Sports' Jake Fischer.
The Verdict: Fact.
From the moment the Warriors added DiVincenzo last offseason, they likely knew their days with him were limited. As long as he bounced back to anywhere near his pre-injury form, he was going to position himself for a payday Golden State couldn't afford.
That's exactly what has happened since. The 26-year-old authored one of the most productive and efficient campaigns of his career, then made the easy decision to decline his $4.7 million player option.
That effectively spelled the end of his Warriors' tenure. The Villanova product could collect double what they're able to pay him on the open market.
That money has a decent chance to come from the Knicks, who could have two of his college teammates on the roster (Jalen Brunson is already there, and Josh Hart has a player option) and a need for the two-way game DiVincezo plays.
