Ideal Potential Free Agent for Golden State Warriors at Every Position
The 2015 NBA draft has dominated headlines for months now, and rightfully so. Teams are holding workouts, writers and analysts are making predictions, and fans are holding out hope their team will find the next best thing in whomever it drafts.
But free agency can be just as important as the draft—perhaps even more so.
This is especially true for a team like the Golden State Warriors, a club that has the No. 30 overall pick in the draft thanks to its league-best 67-15 record.
Without many impact players expected to be available late in the first round, the Warriors might have no choice but to address the needs they have by bringing in veteran players who are ready to adapt to any role Golden State would need them to play.
These players will most likely be of the low-tier variety, so it’s important not to start thinking of ways the Dubs could possibly sign LaMarcus Aldridge or Marc Gasol. Sure, they would both bring a massive amount of talent to the team, but it’s just not realistic.
As it stands, general manager Bob Myers could have $83.4 million committed to 11 players for the 2015-16 season, and that’s without the max contract Draymond Green will likely command.
Luckily, Golden State owns Green’s Bird rights, which means it can go over the cap to re-sign him without dipping too far into the projected tax ($81 million), especially if it can dump David Lee’s contract.
The Warriors will have at least the mid-level exception (starting at $5.464 million in 2015-16) at their disposal this summer since they didn’t pay the tax this season.
They can spend that on one or two free agents to improve their roster. Here’s a look at a player Myers could go after at each position with that money.
Point Guard: Aaron Brooks
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2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 11.6 points, 2.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 0.7 steal, 1.9 turnovers (.421/.387/.833)
2014-15 Salary: $1,145,685
Aaron Brooks enjoyed a nice season with the Chicago Bulls this past year, averaging 11.6 points on 38 percent shooting from beyond the arc.
Once a near 20-points-per-game scorer, Brooks has the ability to put the ball through the net at a blistering rate. And over the past couple of seasons he’s become accustomed to doing so in a reserve role.
Adding him to this Warriors squad would soften the blow the team’s spacing takes whenever Stephen Curry needs a breather.
Shaun Livingston—while solid—doesn’t threaten defenses the way Curry and Brooks do. A career 19.6 percent shooter from three-point land (10-51), Livingston does most of his damage close to the rim or in post-up situations that leave a smaller guard on him.
Golden State could use a guy like Brooks to take some of the pressure off Curry. And having made no more than $3.4 million in a single season throughout his career, the former Oregon Duck could come on the cheap.
Shooting Guard: Gerald Green
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2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 11.9 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.6 steal, 1.4 turnovers (.416/.354/.825)
2014-15 Salary: $3,500,000
The shooting guard position is probably the one spot where the Warriors lack true depth.
Enter Gerald Green.
Following a 2014-15 season in which he spent a lot of time on the bench for poor shooting and bad defensive play, he may have played his way into a less lucrative contract this summer.
But that doesn’t mean Green is a bad player. He’s far from it, actually.
At 6’8”, he is one of the most athletic players in the NBA. And he has worked well in transition during his eight-year career while also showing he can knock down threes at a steady rate (36.8 percent for his career, 40 percent in 2013-14).
“If he could just be solid defensively, that’ll help out,” Phoenix Suns head coach Jeff Hornacek told AZCentral.com’s Paul Coro back in February.
Green’s offensive game is there, and he has the physical tools to thrive defensively. It seems as though he just needs to regain his confidence on the less glamorous end.
Who could help him do that better than defensive guru Ron Adams?
Small Forward: Jae Crowder
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2014-15 Per-Game Stats (with Boston): 9.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.0 steal, 0.7 turnover (.418/.282/.762)
2014-15 Salary: $915,243
When Jae Crowder was traded to the Boston Celtics, nobody really knew what he had to offer.
He didn’t get much playing time in Dallas thanks to the number of veterans ahead of him in the rotation, but after the breakout he had in green, you have to believe the Mavericks are kicking themselves for letting him go.
Celtics head coach Brad Stevens seems to think so, telling MassLive.com’s Jay King: “I think he’s added to what we want to be. He’s a skilled guy on offense. He’s fearless. And he’s a guy that can guard multiple positions, and does so with tenacity. So you love guys like that. He’s been a good pickup for us."
Danny Ainge has made it clear on a couple of occasions that he intends to re-sign Crowder. But his defensive versatility and growing offensive game are both things the Warriors could use coming off the bench.
The question is, given Crowder’s restricted free-agent status, would Myers be willing to overpay to steal him away from Boston?
Power Forward: Brandon Bass
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2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 10.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.5 steal, 0.4 block, 1.0 turnover (.504/.281/.790)
2014-15 Salary: $6,900,000
Brandon Bass’ future in Boston is much more unclear than Crowder’s.
Following a poor performance in the postseason, the 10-year veteran is set to hit unrestricted free agency this summer, and according to MassLive.com’s Jay King, early returns point to Bass possibly being moved during the summer.
“Bass said he has not communicated with the Celtics front office since an exit interview shortly after the regular season," King wrote. "While he calls Boston his 'home away from home,' he knows the organization’s situation could leave him as one of the final pieces dealt with this summer.”
If the Celtics decide not to make Bass a priority, the Warriors should, especially if they decline Marreese Speights’ option for the upcoming season.
The 30-year-old is undersized (6’8”) for the power forward position, but he has the athleticism and power to finish strong inside among even the tallest of defenders.
Bass also possesses a deadly mid-range jumper, where he shot 45.7 percent from 16 or more feet from the basket this season and a scorching 56.2 percent from 10-16 feet the year before.
His stature limits him defensively, but he’s a veteran piece who plays well enough on both ends to command a role on a team that’s actively chasing championships.
Center: Ryan Hollins
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2014-15 Per-Game Stats: 3.0 points, 2.2 rebounds, 0.3 assist, 0.1 steal, 0.4 block, 0.5 turnover (.646/.000/.574)
2014-15 Salary: $1,316,809
The emergence of Festus Ezeli against the Houston Rockets in the Western Conference Finals has made the backup center position less of an issue for Golden State.
With Andrew Bogut under contract through the 2016-17 season and Ezeli due to become a restricted free agent in the summer of 2016, the Warriors only need a placeholder for the two of them in case of injury.
Sacramento Kings backup big man Ryan Hollins comes to mind as a possible option.
At 7’0”, Hollins provides little else besides rim protection and rebounding. That’s all the Warriors would need from him, though, as neither Bogut nor Ezeli is expected to shoulder much of the scoring load when one of them is on the court.
Hollins’ per-36-minute numbers of 1.6 blocks and 8.4 rebounds are unspectacular for a player his size. But putting him in the hands of Adams could help him figure out how to make his presence felt more on the defensive end.
Remember: Hollins would just be a stopgap or emergency option as Ezeli continues to develop and eventually takes Bogut’s starting role. The Warriors won’t ask much of him, and because of that, they should get passable production from him for a small price.
All stats and salary information courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com.
Tim MacLean is a Featured Columnist for the Golden State Warriors. Follow him on Twitter.
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