Bob Meyers and his front office staff have done an exceptional job rebuilding this powerhouse through trades, free agency, and especially the draft. It’s tremendously impressive, considering not long ago the organization won three championships during their five consecutive Finals appearances but then lost their two-time Finals MVP along with most of their role players. And now they are now back on top with a fresh supporting cast.
Andrew Wiggins, acquired around this time two years ago, has revived his offensive game and been a devastating defender for the franchise, emerging into not just an NBA All-Star, but an All-Star starter.
Jordan Poole, drafted 28th overall in 2019, has developed into a real bucket-getter who’s also comfortable leading the offense. Otto Porter Jr. and Nemanja Bjelica, free agent signings from this past summer, have fit into the Warriors scheme like a glove, spacing the floor and creating shot opportunities off-the-dribble.
Coach Steve Kerr and his assistants deserve a lot of the credit too for keeping the team’s strategies in-tact despite the ever-changing parts. Guys like Damion Lee, Gary Payton II, and Juan Toscano-Anderson have each maximized their unique skillsets and learned how to cooperate with the team’s stars. Seventh overall pick Jonathan Kuminga has looked less like a project as of late and is now one of Kerr’s most versatile weapons to play with.
And of course, the Hall-of-Fame trio is worthy of much praise as well. Stephen Curry and Draymond Green have demonstrated stellar leadership both on the floor and in the locker room, making the Warriors one of the league’s most unbreakable units. The returning Klay Thompson has shaken off two and a half years of rust and been a jolt of offense for a team suddenly in need of one, too.
Golden State is full steam ahead towards a Western Conference Finals showdown against the Phoenix Suns, and they have legitimate aspirations of winning their fourth championship in eight years. But after not making a single trade during one of the busiest deadline periods in recent memory, are the Warriors as they appear now really fit to take home the crown?
I’m not fully convinced, and some Warriors fans may be thinking the same, so fortunately we can look to the newly-shaped buyout market and see if there are any pieces that could add value to the playoff roster. And before you ask, despite a league-leading team payroll of $175 million, the Warriors are still not hard-capped and can thus make a signing.
Here are four (realistic) buyout candidates that would make the Golden State Warriors a more secure championship contender.
Golden State</a> Warriors have resurfaced as a championship contender. With elite defense, strong depth, and better health than years prior, they’ve stabilized and won 42 of their first 59 contests. That’s good enough for the 2nd-best record in the Western Conference and the NBA in general.</p>
<p>Bob Meyers and his front office staff have done an exceptional job rebuilding this powerhouse through trades, free agency, and especially the draft. It’s tremendously impressive, considering not long ago the organization won three championships during their five consecutive Finals appearances but then lost their two-time Finals MVP along with most of their role players. And now they are now back on top with a fresh supporting cast.</p>
<h2>The Golden State Warriors are 42-17, talented enough for second place in the Western Conference and to be considered NBA championship contenders, but after a quiet trade deadline, are the Warriors really done building?</h2>
<p>Andrew Wiggins, acquired around this time two years ago, has revived his offensive game and been a devastating defender for the franchise, emerging into not just an NBA All-Star, but an All-Star starter.</p>
<p>Jordan Poole, drafted 28th overall in 2019, has developed into a real bucket-getter who’s also comfortable leading the offense. Otto Porter Jr. and Nemanja Bjelica, free agent signings from this past summer, have fit into the Warriors scheme like a glove, spacing the floor and creating shot opportunities off-the-dribble.</p>
<p>Coach Steve Kerr and his assistants deserve a lot of the credit too for keeping the team’s strategies in-tact despite the ever-changing parts. Guys like Damion Lee, Gary Payton II, and Juan Toscano-Anderson have each maximized their unique skillsets and learned how to cooperate with the team’s stars. Seventh overall pick Jonathan Kuminga has looked less like a project as of late and is now one of Kerr’s most versatile weapons to play with.</p>
<p>And of course, the Hall-of-Fame trio is worthy of much praise as well. Stephen Curry and Draymond Green have demonstrated stellar leadership both on the floor and in the locker room, making the Warriors one of the league’s most unbreakable units. The returning Klay Thompson has shaken off two and a half years of rust and been a jolt of offense for a team suddenly in need of one, too.</p>
<p>Golden State is full steam ahead towards a Western Conference Finals showdown against the Phoenix Suns, and they have legitimate aspirations of winning their fourth championship in eight years. But after not making a single trade during one of the busiest deadline periods in recent memory, are the Warriors as they appear now really fit to take home the crown?</p>
<p>I’m not fully convinced, and some Warriors fans may be thinking the same, so fortunately we can look to the newly-shaped buyout market and see if there are any pieces that could add value to the playoff roster. And before you ask, despite a league-leading team payroll of $175 million, the Warriors are still not hard-capped and can thus make a signing.</p>
<p>Here are four (realistic) buyout candidates that would make the Golden State Warriors a more secure championship contender.</p>
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<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:1600px;">INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – JANUARY 31: Eric Bledsoe #12 of the Los Angeles Clippers dribbles the ball in the second quarter against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on January 31, 2022 in Indianapolis, Indiana, 3 buyout candidates for the Golden State Warriors to target. 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 Dylan Buell/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>3 buyout candidates for the Golden State Warriors to target- Eric Bledsoe</h2>
<p>Even though the Golden State Warriors have won 42 of 58, their depth chart still isn’t all that pretty. It doesn’t take a genius to see they’re light at point guard, obviously not a major concern given the team has Stephen Curry starting and one of the great playmaking big men in the game in Draymond Green.</p>
<p>It becomes less of a concern when considering that the team ranks second in assists per game, showing little problem scoring baskets in a very pass-happy offense, despite it being untraditional on paper.</p>
<p>However, the players backing up Curry aren’t strong facilitators and there’s some reason to be concerned about that. Come playoff time, with the superstar off the floor, how confident will Coach Kerr be assigning playmaking responsibilities to the scoring-focused Jordan Poole or the defensive-minded Gary Payton II, both of whom have never played in a postseason game?</p>
<p>I understand all of the Warriors playoff contributors will be adept at sharing the ball, but a team so reliant on the three-point arc and back-door cuts will at times need to rely on a primary ball-handler.</p>
<p>The offense might be proficient enough to overcome it, but what happens if Curry suffers an injury? In the past, veterans Shaun Livingston and Andre Iguodala stepped in for an injured Curry and the offense didn’t miss a beat on their way to the Conference Finals. The team as is doesn’t have a veteran point guard on the bench, and the swiss-army-knife Iguodala is now 38 years old.</p>
<p>The first option that comes to mind is Eric Bledsoe, recently traded to the Portland Trail Blazers in an effort to shed long-term salary. Starting the season with the LA Clippers, Bledsoe was his vintage slasher and perimeter defender, flip-flopping between the starting lineup and a sixth man role. Yet on an team struggling without its two superstars, the veteran stepped in and provided a spark of offense as a facilitator, finding open shooters and cutting big men.</p>
<p>Traded by the Clippers who were in need of scoring and frontcourt length, he landed with Portland (25-34), who’s mailing it in the rest of the year as part of a quick rebuild. The Trail Blazers can surely use his services with Damian Lillard out with an abdominal injury, but they’re likely more interested in seeing what they have in their younger playmakers first, even if it means losing.</p>
<p>Now, Bledsoe (33 and without an NBA championship) is taking his sweet time recovering from Achilles soreness and is probably discussing a buyout opportunity so he can chase a ring.</p>
<p>If he does end up being bought out, he would be the most valuable player on the open market and likely have a long list of suitors, the most appealing of which being the Warriors. The team would benefit greatly having another reliable point guard on the playoff roster, taking command when Curry needs a rest or taking over if Curry suffered any sort of injury.</p>
<p>Bledsoe, already well accustomed to playing on the West Coast, fits in with the Warriors defensive identity and doesn’t need to shoot to be effective on offense.</p>
<p>This pairing would make the Warriors’ offense in the playoffs stronger and more secure, especially since their counterparts generally all have great backups. And it would give Bledsoe (9.9 points, 4.2 assists, 1.3 steals per game) another chance to compete for an NBA title, one he’ll have an easier time with given the plethora of scoring options *winks at Milwaukee*.</p>
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<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:3200px;">NEW YORK, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 21: Cory Joseph #18 of the Detroit Pistons in action against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on December 21, 2021 in New York City. 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. New York Knicks defeated the Detroit Pistons 105-91. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>3 buyout candidates for the Golden State Warriors to target- Cory Joseph</h2>
<p>Another argument for why the Golden State Warriors could use a second traditional point guard is that they’re amazingly 29th in team turnovers per game, a measure of an abysmal team and not an elite one.</p>
<p>Since they are an active dish-and-kick team with no real post-up threats, they are making a lot of passes, and thus committing more turnovers. The pass-happy, fast-paced, break-heavy offense helps much more than it hurts, but will that style fare well in tight playoff games?</p>
<p>There will be times, especially on the road in loud arenas, when slowing things down and playing methodical will be necessary. If I had to summarize the backup guards )Jordan Poole and Gary Payton II), the word “deliberate” wouldn’t come to mind.</p>
<p>The aging Shaun Livingston and Andre Iguodala proved successful calming things down, and then opening up the floodgates for the Splash Brothers to run haywire.</p>
<p>The second point guard that comes to mind is Cory Joseph, who has carved out a rotation spot in Detroit. The Canadian has been brilliant in the role he’s been assigned, providing stability and easy buckets on a young team and inefficient Pistons team. He’s been a conservative floor general for players trying to find their footing and been an absolute marksman when he gets open beyond the arc.</p>
<p>He was acquired last year to desperately fill in at point guard and was re-signed this year to produce similarly as a reserve. This past month, he’s surprisingly been starting for the Pistons, who are trying to figure out where rookie Cade Cunningham feels most comfortable (either at the one or the two).</p>
<p>The Pistons (13-45) aren’t helping Joseph return to the playoffs, and with so many other point guards on the roster including Killian Hayes, Frank Jackson, and Saben Lee, it might be best for both parties to split, especially since nobody bid on him at the trade deadline.</p>
<p>If he does end up being bought out, he’d be one of the more experienced playmakers in the open market, and a nice addition to the Warriors bench unit. The same benefits apply as they did for Bledsoe joining the team, but Joseph actually has Finals experience and knows how grueling the home stretch can be. The veteran has championship pedigree coming from the Spurs, he also fits in with the Warriors defensive identity, and he’s far less likely to “chuck up shots” than Bledsoe.</p>
<p>This pairing would make the Warriors secure and more dangerous for the playoffs, and would give Joseph (43.2% from deep, 2.8:1 assist-to-turnover ratio) a chance to contribute to a winning team again, an opportunity he’s been missing out on in Sacramento and Detroit.</p>
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