A week removed from the NBA trade deadline, the Golden State Warriors still find themselves with an open roster spot-and fewer intriguing options to fill it. While other teams have been active in scooping up recently waived talent, Golden State has held firm, converting Pat Spencer’s two-way deal to a standard contract but otherwise standing pat. As a result, a couple of interesting names have slipped through their fingers.
Let’s start with Jeremy Sochan, who became one of the most compelling free agents on the market after the San Antonio Spurs unexpectedly waived the 22-year-old forward. The former No. 9 overall pick didn’t stay available for long. Sochan signed a rest-of-season deal with the New York Knicks just a day later, a move that gives him a chance to contribute meaningful minutes in a playoff chase.
From a Warriors standpoint, Sochan might not have been a seamless fit-his jumper still needs work, and spacing is already a concern in Golden State’s offense. But when you're sitting outside the contender circle, upside swings like Sochan are the kind of low-risk, high-reward bets that can pay off down the line. He’s young, versatile, and brings defensive energy-traits that could’ve helped inject some life into a Warriors squad still searching for consistency.
Instead, Sochan heads to New York, where he'll have a better shot at carving out a role in high-leverage situations. The Knicks, already a tough, defensively-minded group, now add another switchable forward who can thrive in Tom Thibodeau’s system.
As for the Warriors, if missing out on Sochan stung a bit, watching Cam Thomas light it up in his Milwaukee Bucks debut probably didn’t help. The 22-year-old guard, waived by the Brooklyn Nets after the deadline, wasted no time making his presence felt.
He dropped 34 points in just 25 minutes against the Orlando Magic, shooting 12-of-20 from the field and 4-of-6 from deep. He also chipped in four boards, two assists, and finished a +6 in a narrow 113-108 win.
That kind of microwave scoring could’ve been a real asset for Golden State, especially with Jimmy Butler sidelined for the season and Stephen Curry missing the last five games. The Warriors have struggled to generate consistent offense without their stars, and Thomas’ ability to create his own shot might’ve helped stabilize some of those second-unit minutes.
Still, there’s been no indication that the Warriors were seriously pursuing either Sochan or Thomas. The only name they’ve been tangibly linked to in recent weeks is Lonzo Ball, but that chatter has cooled, and there’s been no movement on that front.
So where does that leave Golden State? With the All-Star break looming, there’s hope that reinforcements are on the way.
Curry and Kristaps Porzingis are expected to return shortly after the break, and Seth Curry could also be back in the mix after missing over 30 games with a sciatic nerve issue. If all three return healthy, it’s possible the front office feels comfortable riding out the rest of the season with just 14 players on the roster.
But the margin for error is razor-thin in the Western Conference, and the Warriors are already walking that line. Whether they eventually fill that final roster spot or not, the clock is ticking-and the options are dwindling.