Two Offseason Targets The Warriors Should Be Considering
The NBA offseason is now in full swing. With news that the Warriors have already gotten active, trading Jordan Poole to the Washington Wizards for veteran All-Star Chris Paul, the pressure is officially all the way on for the team to win now.
The trade for Paul and departure of Poole, as well as guard Ryan Rollins and forward Patrick Baldwin Jr., was followed up by drafting two players that NBA scouts believe could be ready off the back in Brandon Podziemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis. Podz and TJD are plug-and-play at their position, and both are multi-year college hoopers who have complementary skillsets. The Warriors don’t need to hit another star in the draft, so these moves make the perfect amount of sense to fill out the roster.
But construction isn’t done just yet. Golden State still has a multitude of roster spots open which they should be looking to fill with friendly contracts that can contribute in short spans of minutes. The free agent market isn’t particularly top-heavy this offseason, and its depth means there are some options out there. Priority will likely fall to frontcourt shooting and capable wing defense, although finding two of the most sought-after skillsets in the modern NBA can be difficult when dealing with the constrictions the Dubs currently are.
Regardless, there are ways to get this done. There are two targets which come to mind: One a safer bet that can fill some gaps, and the other a potential dream signing for his current contract.
1) Yuta Watanabe, Forward, UFA
Watanabe is a name that a lot of teams will likely throw around when it comes to big wings that can shoot. At 6’9, the lefty sniper shot a scorching 44% from three this past season with the Brooklyn Nets. Watanabe got a lot of noise early on last year because of his skills for his height, and was a key contributor to a Nets team that looked every bit the contender before the explosive Kevin Durant trade turned them into a good team searching for their leading scorer. Watanabe is a free agent now, however, and was most recently a minimum-level player because he doesn’t eat a ton of minutes: Outside of being a sweet shooter, his height is the biggest draw. He reminds, in a lot of ways, of what Otto Porter Jr. brought to the team just two years ago. The Japanese-born forward would bring a unique element of spacing which has shown to work in the Warriors’ scheme, unlocking a lot more lineup possibilities for Steve Kerr and company to capitalize on. His floor is a bit higher than most other signings the Warriors could make given his career efficiency and accuracy: There aren’t many guys on minimum contracts who can say as much.
2) Kyle Anderson, Forward, Minnesota Timberwolves
Warriors fans should know this name all too well. In his short stint with the Memphis Grizzlies, “SlowMo” was a renowned Warrior-killer (a role player who seemed to always go off against Golden State), and it can be argued he didn’t get enough recognition for his role with their squad: Anderson’s a shooter who, while streaky, you don’t want to leave open. Last season with the Wolves, he canned 41% of his triples while grabbing over 5 rebounds a contest in 28 minutes a game. His role with the Warriors would certainly be reduced, but he’s a solid defender who, most importantly, can get on the offensive glass (0.8 ORBs on 21 minutes per game for his career), something the team only gets out of Kevon Looney and occasionally Andrew Wiggins so far. While not a vaunted playmaker, he’s shown he can be a decent point forward as well. Anderson’s contract is where things get a little dicey: He’s owed $9 million for Minnesota this upcoming season, which means that not only is he a bit pricy for what Golden State can afford, but he’d have to be a trade target, which could mean punting on potential with Moses Moody or Jonathan Kuminga.
What’s the Move?
Anderson has a stronger track record, so if the Warriors can manage to get him without losing either one of Kuminga or Moody, it’d be a steal for all intents and purposes. But the chances of that happening when Minnesota likely sees themselves with a decent shot at finishing better in the West isn’t high enough to gamble on. Watanabe would command less minutes and more importantly, would cost a whole lot less; he’s the more likely scenario for a signing, and could be a multi-year contributor if the Warriors get him on a friendly contract.
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