Reviewing the Warriors' Free Agent Workout Candidates
The Warriors have two open roster spots still, and with an undecided Andre Iguodala who could be retiring before the season begins, the Dubs may have to find a veteran replacement for him while still filling out the second spot. The candidates they’re working out this week bring a variety of options in terms of skillset: The Athletic reported these players as a part of the workouts, amongst others.
We’ll go player by player, seeing what each brings and how they could fit into Golden State’s system.
1) Ben McLemore
A 6’3 shooting guard who was drafted in the lottery in 2013, McLemore’s calling card in the league has been his jumper. He’s a career 36% shooter from deep, with his most recent stint last year in Portland matching that. McLemore would give the Warriors a bench scoring punch with some versatility both off the catch and off the dribble. He’s a perfectly average defender at a baseline, although he’s still on the right side of 30 and has the physical tools to track as even better. He seems like a typical Warriors breakout guy, and could put together another nice season alongside Curry and company if he makes the roster, improving his defense, getting open jumpers, and an opportunity to show that he’s still got plenty of gas in the tank.
2) Elfrid Payton
Payton’s an interesting pick here because he doesn’t shoot the rock particularly well and, yet again, doesn’t provide much size. Payton’s a good perimeter defender and a willing passer, fitting into a sort of typical NBA backup point guard role that the Warriors don’t really have, but with shooting being such an important facet of the modern game, it’d be hard for him to find a role as anything but a traditional 1… Which doesn’t fit particularly well in Golden State’s motion-heavy system. Payton would shore up a couple holes which were left by Gary Payton II’s departure alongside Donte DiVincenzo, but his lack of a jumper is that glaring of an issue to where it’s questionable whether a roster spot would be worth it when there are other options that just fit better at his position.
3) Rondae Hollis-Jefferson
The JaMychal Green pickup would make a lot of sense if the Dubs got this guy. RHJ isn’t a great shooter, but he’s a monster on defense. Standing at 6’6 with a 7’2 wingspan, he would add to the arsenal of switchable wings the Warriors currently employ. He’s a cornerstone defender, enough to certainly make an impact. The problem? Also his jumper. Hollis-Jefferson is a career 21% shooter from the outside, and that’s only gotten worse since he’s been in the league. While that’s a glaring issue, he has the frame to set great screens, is a good finisher around the rim, and can take on bigger matchups with his strength. His offensive usage is limited, but that’s something you can afford to take for his defensive impact, especially in such a wing-heavy league.
4) Kenneth Faried
The Manimal would be a fun pickup for the fanfare alone, but this one is… weird? A little out of left field? Faried’s the oldest player on this list and hasn’t played in the NBA since 2019, where he had some good efficiency as a big man and did some pretty impressive damage while he was in Denver. Faried’s role is limited to basically being a finisher and rebounder; he’s not a great defender, he doesn’t (nor can’t) shoot, and he’s not quite big enough to spot as a rim-runner even as just a shot-challenger on the block. He’d be a good body to have as a screen-setter and roll partner for two of the best PnR operators in the game, but once again, there just seem to be better fits.
Conclusion?
The best choice of this bunch is probably Rondae Hollis-Jefferson or Ben McLemore. RHJ is a disruptive defender who can add to the Warriors’ already impressive switchability. He’s not as pesky as GP2 was, but he’s a legit menace on that end of the floor. McLemore is a great shooter who can add some self-created scoring that the Warriors don’t have outside of Poole and Curry (at least, until Moses Moody and Jonathan Kuminga start to get a little more comfortable), and is an absolutely average defender, which is better than him being a negative. It could be as simple as a coin flip, but the Warriors lost offense with Otto Porter Jr.’s shooting and Payton II’s freakish verticality, and they were noticeably more average on that end last season (especially relative to a historically-good defense). If you have to pick between the two, the choice seems to be Ben McLemore for no other reason than he can get you a few more buckets with some self-created, which will translate to better offensive options, and he isn’t a turnstile on the other end, with potential upside given his age.
(Photo credit: Craig Mitchelldyer / Associated Press)