The Golden State Warriors are still waiting on LeBron James, and that decision could ripple through the rest of their roster in a pretty unexpected way.
If James lands in Golden State, the expectation is that Draymond Green would be brought back too. That would leave the Warriors with 13 players under contract and a frontcourt that already looks crowded on paper: three centers in Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford and Charles Bassey, plus four forwards big enough to handle power forward duties in James, Green, Gui Santos and Yaxel Lendeborg.
At first glance, that sounds like the kind of roster that wouldn’t need another big. But Jake Fischer said on a Bleacher Report Live stream that Kelly Olynyk or Georges Niang “could very well be on the radar for the Golden State Warriors if they were to get a LeBron assurance.”
Fischer also noted that the Warriors may be trying to replenish their big man depth after losing Quinten Post to the Grizzlies, and that either Olynyk or Niang would likely come in on a veteran minimum deal.
There’s a real reason Golden State might want one more center in the mix. Porzingis and Horford are both the kind of players whose availability can’t be taken for granted, so the Warriors could decide they need a fourth center just to keep the rotation afloat.
Olynyk is the more intriguing fit. He barely played last season with the Spurs, but over the previous three seasons he put up 9.4 points, 5.1 rebounds and 3.9 assists while shooting .534/.397/.809. That’s the profile of a stretch big who can keep the offense moving, not clog it up.
That matters in Golden State. Olynyk’s ability to space the floor and make the right passing reads lines up cleanly with the Warriors’ offense, and his numbers back up the idea that he helps on that end. Per Cleaning the Glass, the 7-footer has posted a positive offensive net-rating swing in eight of the last nine seasons.
He also plays much more like Porzingis and Horford than Bassey does, which could matter if the Warriors want consistency from their center group. There’s a clear argument for keeping the top three centers stylistically similar, especially if the offense is going to depend on them in different combinations.
And if James is in the mix, the spacing question gets even sharper. The Warriors would almost certainly have better floor balance with Olynyk next to James than with Bassey next to the four-time MVP.
Still, there’s a catch. Olynyk is 35, and even on a veteran minimum, the Warriors would have to weigh value against availability. He has played in only 86 games over the last two seasons, and giving him a standard contract would be a major risk if he couldn’t stay healthy enough to cover for Porzingis and Horford when needed.
Golden State is already expected to be without Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody for part of the 2026-27 season, so the margin for more injuries is thin.
There are other ways to patch the center spot. One possibility is signing Graham Ike to a two-way contract and using him whenever the Warriors need a third center.
Ike turned heads in summer league, averaging 10.0 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. But that route comes with its own gamble, since he could have a hard time against NBA competition.
The most dramatic answer would be a trade for Anthony Davis after landing James, though that’s far from simple. The Wizards could be waiting for a massive trade package, which makes the feasibility of that move tough to pin down.
Golden State would ideally use one of its remaining roster spots on an athletic wing, whether James arrives or not. But after apparently not even entering the bidding for Matisse Thybulle and Ziaire Williams, the Warriors don’t seem especially focused on wing depth.
If that’s the direction they’re taking, then shoring up the center rotation with Olynyk starts to look like the cleaner solution.
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Trey Murphy III has emerged as a name to watch, with Golden State believed to have the flexibility to pursue him if it decides to push harder. Murphys appeal is obvious in this kind of pursuit: he gives the Warriors another high-end piece to sell in a recruiting pitch, while also giving the front office a cleaner path than a full-blown overhaul. The question now is whether the Warriors are willing to make that extra bold move before James finally chooses his next team. [Read more 🡒]
Jonathan Kuminga Saga Just Got More Complicated For Warriors Fans
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The complication for Golden State is that the Lakers are not alone here. Milwaukee has also entered the picture, with Cleveland monitoring the situation as well, which only adds pressure to a process that has not produced a final agreement. If a deal does come together, there is still the matter of what it takes to satisfy Atlanta on the sign-and-trade side, leaving this one very much in the unfinished stage for Warriors fans watching the market. [Read more 🡒]