Like most teams in the NBA this summer, the Golden State Warriors have a lot on their plate. As they look to retool the roster around Stephen Curry to make one last title push, key decisions will have to be made regarding free agency, the draft, and extension talks behind the scenes.
In the end, we still don’t know exactly what the Warriors have planned, but GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. did provide some insight during his latest media press conference. Starting with the draft, he explained the Warriors’ approach and what qualities they are looking for in the No. 11 and No. 54 overall picks.
“Frankly, we need everything, so we don’t need to be picky about this thing…. The situation of the roster that stands is going to lend itself to that. Any time we draft a player, we want to be apprehensive about the fact that the guy can come and contribute right away,” said Dunleavy. “In this scenario, we’ve got four guys under contract who will be helpful for training camp. So, I think there’s an opportunity abound for whoever we draft, both at 11 and 54, to play, and it’s probably a little different than we’ve had in the past. Whether we like it or not, the guys are going to be out there.”
As an older team on a win-now timeline, it makes sense for the Warriors to trade their picks in exchange for roster depth, but they aren’t thinking that way. In their current situation, Duleavy believes his team is better off keeping their picks and working to develop whoever they land into a valuable rotation player.
“I think everything is on the table. We’ll look at it all, but I feel pretty confident that we will draft a player. I just feel like, as strong as this draft is, we should probably come out of this draft with a player, unless you know if something falls into our lap, trade-wise,” Dunleavy added.
On the trade front, the Warriors have been tied to several NBA veterans, including LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo. Giving up what’s left of their youth (Moses Moody, Brandin Podziemski) to get even older doesn’t seem like a smart move, but the Warriors are open to any trade that even slightly improves their title odds.
“We’re gonna get older, and it’s not the best thing, but if it’s gonna make us significantly better, I think we have to look at that because that’s our thought process right now, is to make this team better,” said the Warriors GM. “If that means getting older, we’ll do it, but that’s pretty unlikely. There are only so many guys we can bring in who are older. We’ve got some guys in the back end of it already, and to add to that would be some risk, but maybe there’s a situation we do that and go for it.”
After finishing 10th in the West this past season (37-45), it’s clear the Warriors need reinforcements, but they must also ensure they retain their core players. That’s why Dunleavy Jr. is making a point to negotiate with Draymond Green and Kristaps Porzingis now to earn their loyalty early.
“I think we’re in a good place with all [our free agents],” said Dunleavy. “Both [Green and Porzingis], I think we value, we want here, and we see them as a kind of a piece of puzzle.”
The Warriors have a lot of work ahead of them, but Stephen Curry’s presence gives them a foundation to build around. At 38 years old, Steph is nearing the end of his storied career, but he’s still playing up to his usual standards with averages of 26.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game this season on 46.8% shooting and 39.3% shooting from three.
If the Warriors can just surround him with enough support and depth on the court, it could be the key to having a competitive season. While most of the major changes will come next month, the process starts now with choosing a prospect and negotiating a contract for the expiring veterans.
