Warriors' Free Agency Outlook and Top Contract Decisions Following Trade Deadline

The Golden State Warriors could look dramatically different by the end of the 2024 NBA offseason.

Or maybe they won't.

Sure, the potential for substantial roster changes exist, but it was present, too, at the most recent deadline when the Dubs did nothing other than make the cost-cutting subtraction of Cory Joseph. Then again, it's not like their relative inactivity was due to a lack of trying, so who knows what direction Golden State will take.

For an early glimpse into what awaits the Warriors at season's end, let's preview the upcoming free-agency decisions facing this franchise.

Salary Outlook

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SAN FRANCISCO, CA - DECEMBER 19: Klay Thompson #11 of the Golden State Warriors and Chris Paul #3 of the Golden State Warriors looks on during the game against the Boston Celtics on December 19, 2023 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2023 NBAE (Photo by Mike Rasay/NBAE via Getty Images)

The Warriors have perpetually ranked among the Association's biggest spenders, and that's highly unlikely to change in the near future.

According to Spotrac, their 2024-25 total cap figure sits north of $241 million at the moment, though there are ways to raise or even lower that amount. It all hinges on how much of this roster the front office wants to keep intact.

Klay Thompson is unsigned past this season. Chris Paul's $30 million salary for next season is non-guaranteed. Gary Payton II holds a $9.1 million player option. Kevon Looney has a partial guarantee on his $8 million salary. Unrestricted free agency awaits Dario Šarić. Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody will both be eligible for extensions of their rookie-scale contracts.

Like we said, there are plenty of items on this team's to-do list as it looks to successfully navigate whatever remains of Stephen Curry's prime. While all of these decisions could be tricky for different reasons, let's zoom in on the two most critical calls they'll need to make.

Klay Thompson's Future

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SAN FRANCISCO, CA - FEBRUARY 25: Klay Thompson #11 of the Golden State Warriors celebrates during the game against the Denver Nuggets on February 25, 2024 at Chase Center in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/NBAE via Getty Images)

Thompson is making $43.2 million this season. He clearly isn't a $43.2 million player anymore, which is less a criticism than a simple observation that a 34-year-old with two major injuries in his relatively recent history (the ACL tear that erased his 2019-20 season and the ruptured Achilles that cost him the next campaign) isn't the player he once he was.

The question, though, is just how far Thompson has fallen, and whether he and the Warriors will calculate that decline the same way. His scoring—and even his trademark shooting—isn't as consistent as it once was, and his defense may have dropped several levels from its peak.

The Warriors recently made the decision to repurpose their aging sharpshooter as a sixth man, and while there was certainly a risk he wouldn't receive that news the right way, he made clear it this new role wouldn't stand in his way of standing put—provided the money is right for all parties involved.

"I mean, you've still got to examine all of your options, but I would love to be a Warrior for life," Thompson told The Athletic's Sam Amick. "Whatever happens though, I've got a few more years to play this game, so I'm gonna enjoy every second. I realize that I see light at the end of the tunnel, (and) I'm not sure if I want to play until I'm 40, man. That sounds really exhausting."

You know what else sounds exhausting? Finding the right financial figure for a future Hall of Famer whose more immediate future is clouded in uncertainty.

Jonathan Kuminga's Contract Extension

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SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 23: Jonathan Kuminga #00 of the Golden State Warriors dribbles the ball up court against the Charlotte Hornets during the first quarter of an NBA basketball game at Chase Center on February 23, 2024 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

It feels like forever ago that Kuminga seemingly had one foot out the door. In reality, it was only back in January that Anthony Slater and Shams Charania of The Athletic that Kuminga had "lost faith in coach Steve Kerr" and "no longer believes Kerr will allow him to reach his full potential."

As damaging as that report sounded, though, the resulting dialogue proved plenty fruitful. The swingman and skipper chatted shortly after that, and Kuminga's star has seemingly soared ever since.

Over his last 20 games (15 of them starts), Kuminga has averaged 20.2 points (on 56.6/40/75.8 shooting), 5.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists over 30.9 minutes. The 21-year-old is showing why the Warriors made him the No. 7 pick in 2021 and hinting at perhaps becoming the co-star Curry needs to embark on another title run.

All the while, the price tag on a potential extension for Kuminga has skyrocketed. A $30 million annual salary could be in the cards, and if he manages to not only sustain this surge but continue building off of it, that pay rate may eventually be viewed as a relative bargain.