The Golden State Warriors have spent nearly a month in free agency without adding a rival player, and the quiet has pushed fans into some pretty wild territory.
At this point in the offseason, the lack of movement has even triggered calls for the Warriors to sign former MVP Russell Westbrook. It’s the kind of idea that says more about how thin the market has become - and how restless Golden State’s fan base is getting - than it does about any real possibility of a deal.
Westbrook is unsigned after one season with the Sacramento Kings, and his career could be nearing its end. There has even been reported interest from teams in Greece and Israel.
He also still has a case as a productive guard: in Sacramento, he averaged 15.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 1.3 steals. That included a 23-point, 16-rebound, 10-assist triple double against the Warriors in November.
Still, the Warriors are not expected to go that route. Westbrook is 37, and Golden State’s situation points more toward patching together ball-handling depth with other names already in the building or on the radar.
The Warriors lost Pat Spencer to the Phoenix Suns, leaving them without a clear backup point guard behind Stephen Curry, who is 38. That’s part of why Westbrook’s name has even surfaced in the conversation. But Golden State is more likely to rely on Brandin Podziemski, De’Anthony Melton and two-way guard LJ Cryer for those duties until Jimmy Butler gets back from injury.
Golden State only has two roster spots left after signing Draymond Green, which has only fueled the speculation. One fan even posted that “The remaining 2 spots I want the Warriors to sign: pic.twitter.com/3Y9A2zr4yY”
The more realistic options appear to be elsewhere. According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints on Friday, the Warriors are looking at Brandon Williams, Gabe Vincent, Kelly Olynyk and a possible reunion with Gary Payton II as ways to fill out the roster.
That makes sense given the bigger picture. Curry is heading into opening night at 38 after dealing with a troubling knee injury late last season, and Butler isn’t expected back until January or February at the earliest.
Westbrook did earn Sixth Man of the Year votes in each of his previous two seasons with the L.A. Clippers and Denver Nuggets, but he has now been on seven teams since 2019. That track record, more than anything else, is why a Warriors move would be a shock.
In Other News...
Warriors Already Have Early Proof They Nailed A Key Draft Call
Golden State had a chance to get cute on draft night, but instead the front office stayed put and used the 11th pick on Yaxel Lendeborg after declining Oklahoma Citys offer to move up. The deal would have brought back future second-round picks, but the Warriors passed, betting on the player they wanted rather than the extra assets, and that choice already looks like a smart one for a team trying to keep finding value wherever it can.
Lendeborg backed up the decision quickly in summer league, where he was named MVP and helped lead the Warriors to the championship. Oklahoma Citys Aday Mara, taken one spot later, flashed a few encouraging signs, but the early returns have tilted clearly toward Golden State, which at least for now seems to have found a clean win in a draft process that could matter well beyond July. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Get Encouraging Moses Moody Update After Trade Buzz
Moses Moodys recovery has taken a promising step forward, a welcome update for a Warriors team that has spent plenty of time this summer weighing roster possibilities and rotation stability. Four months after surgery to repair a torn patellar tendon, Moody is making good progress in his rehab, and the organization is expected to stay patient rather than push him back before he is ready.
The next checkpoint matters, though, because it will help frame just how soon Golden State can realistically count on him again. If the rehab keeps trending in the right direction, Moody should remain part of the conversation for the Warriors when he returns, which gives the team at least one encouraging internal storyline to monitor as the season approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Face One Trade Dilemma In Pursuit Of Bench Scoring
The Warriors search for more bench scoring has only become more urgent as the roster has settled into its new shape, and one name floating in that conversation is tied to Milwaukees post-Giannis reshuffling. After Giannis Antetokounmpo was dealt to the Heat, the Bucks brought in several pieces, and among the players drawing outside attention is a young wing who turned in a strong season and has the kind of offensive profile that could help Golden States second unit.
Even so, the path to a deal does not look simple. League chatter has centered on the idea of using draft capital to make it happen, but the Warriors have been cautious about moving future picks, especially for a player whose contract situation adds another layer of complexity. Between the price in assets and the extension questions that come with it, this is the sort of trade idea that sounds helpful for a bench that needs scoring, yet still feels unlikely to become real unless the market shifts. [Read more 🡒]