Warriors' Complete Free Agency Preview and Predictions Before 2024 NBA Draft
Most of the Golden State Warriors' focus for the 2024 NBA offseason will revolve around adding talent to this team.
Free agency will be different, though.
On that front, it's all about the potential subtractions to this squad. Splash stalwart Klay Thompson is set to hit the open market. Chris Paul could be, too, if Golden State can't find a taker for his nonguaranteed $30 million salary, per Spotrac.
Will the Warriors lose one or even both of these big-name backcourt players? After previewing what's facing this franchise in free agency, we'll predict how each of those situations will play out.
Free Agents
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If the Warriors are serious about trying to sneak under the luxury tax, then significant cuts could be coming soon.
They already project to be over the tax line, per capsheets.com, although the amount is small enough ($2.7 million) that they should be able to bridge that gap if they wanted. Of course, for a club ostensibly looking to capitalize on whatever remains of Stephen Curry's prime, they must be feeling pulled in both directions.
Officially, the Warriors have six players labeled as free agents: Thompson, Gary Payton II, Dario Šarić, Usman Garuba, Lester Quinones and Jerome Robinson. Payton, though, has reportedly picked up his $9.1 million player option, per ESPN's Kendra Andrews. Quinones is a restricted free agent and feels likely to stay put after cracking the rotation at times this past season.
Paul feels like he belongs on that list, too, with all of his above-market salary being nonguaranteed. And if Golden State really wants to cut costs, it's worth noting that only $3 million of Kevon Looney's $8 million salary is guaranteed.
Prediction: Klay Thompson Heads Elsewhere
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As hard as it is to envision Thompson rocking anything other than a Golden State jersey, that's a reality Warriors should be bracing themselves to see.
While he obviously isn't guaranteed to go anywhere, it sounds as if he is ready, willing and eager to examine what this market has to offer for his services:
Teams will covet what Thompson brings. He may not have the defensive versatility or offensive consistency he did before losing back-to-back seasons to lower leg injuries, but his three-ball runs as hot as any in the Association. This was hardly a banner season for the Splash Brother, and he still averaged the fifth-most threes (3.5) while converting 38.7 percent of his long-range looks.
Someone—maybe the Orlando Magic or Philadelphia 76ers—will give Thompson the kind of money he's looking to get. And it will be the kind of money the Warriors won't want to pay him.
Prediction: Chris Paul Departs, too
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Paul did essentially everything Golden State could have wanted. It still won't be enough to extend his stay beyond a single season.
Yes, it was hugely helpful having his genius-level decision-making and offensive organizational skills on the second unit. And yes, he helped the Warriors finally avoid those pitfalls that always arrived when Curry needed a breather. In fact, the difference between Curry on the court and off dropped all the way to just 1.3 points per 100 possessions, per NBA.com.
At 39 years old, though, Paul clearly isn't worth $30 million, though, and his value to this team can't be what it would be for others. He is too small and limited defensively to log significant minutes with Curry, so you're strictly talking about a backup point guard with a generational great in front of him. That role is important, but only for so much money and so many minutes.
Paul should be able to find better offers elsewhere, assuming he isn't just outright traded before free agency. Someone will want him handling more touches and logging more floor time than the Warriors can afford to give him.
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