The Golden State Warriors are hoping to return to being a Playoff franchise this season after missing the postseason last year. However, they aren’t looking much better than last season, currently sitting at No. 10 in the West with a 28-26 record.
The new era of Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler together has started but just this duo won’t be enough for the franchise, as indicated by their loss to an injury-stricken Dallas Mavericks earlier this week. There is still room to improve this franchise and make them better positioned to be a team competing for a top-six seed.
Let’s take a look at three potential signings the team could make on the buyout market with their open roster spots.
Dennis Smith Jr.
Dennis Smith Jr. has been a free agent all season, which is pretty surprising considering the 27-year-old guard could still be in the prime of his career. After thriving early in his career with the Dallas Mavericks, Smith Jr. found himself out of the league a few seasons ago. Even after getting an opportunity with the Charlotte Hornets in 2022-23, he hasn’t landed a full-time spot on an NBA team since.
Smith Jr. has the potential to be an impactful backup guard for the Warriors after they traded away Dennis Schroder two months after acquiring him to fill that role. Smith won’t be as productive as Schroder was but he can help the Warriors along defensive margins better. He’s a solid POA guard defender and has improved his offensive repertoire in recent seasons.
He shouldn’t be out of the NBA already and the Warriors should definitely look his way. They will have to buy him out of his EuroLeague contract with Spanish powerhouses Real Madrid, but he might be the best player they could still sign.
Marcus Morris Sr.
Marcus Morris Sr. has been out of the league all year after playing with the Los Angeles Clippers and Cleveland Cavaliers last season. The 35-year-old forward might not be a starter-caliber player like he once was for Playoff teams like the Boston Celtics and Clippers, but he could be an impactful rotational forward with his 3-and-D ability.
The Warriors lack toughness across the frontcourt, so adding Morris to give them minor minutes off the bench could work. They got rid of Kyle Anderson in the Jimmy Butler trade as well, so there’s a need for a forward on this roster, especially with Jonathan Kuminga expected to play more small forward minutes upon returning from injury.
Morris Sr. could also prove to be an occasional small-ball five with his floor-spacing abilities and toughness, although that won’t be the best use for him here. He’s a talented and multidimensional forward who could be good for 5-10 minutes a game and be a locker-room presence.
JaVale McGee
The Warriors heavily considered bringing Kevin Durant to the franchise this winter. While Durant rebuffed their advances, they could add another former title-winning Warrior to this squad who played alongside Curry and Draymond when they won titles alongside Durant. That would be former starting center JaVale McGee.
McGee has been a free agent since the start of the season after playing for the Sacramento Kings last season. McGee was on the court to end the Warriors’ Playoff hopes in the Play-In Tournament last season, so he could have his next (potentially final) NBA stint with a franchise he won two championships with.
McGee won’t be a high-level center but he’s quite literally the only solid veteran big man on the market right now. Unless the San Antonio Spurs release Bismack Biyombo from his 10-day contract, the Warriors won’t have a better option than McGee.
They could look at options in the G League, but it might be better to add a veteran presence like McGee to a center rotation here; the team clearly wants Quentin Post and Trayce Jackson-Davis to get minutes.
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