NBA Free Agency 2017: 5 offseason targets for the Golden State Warriors
After winning their second title in three years, the Golden State Warriors will look to continue their run. Here are five free-agent ring chasers to add.
The Golden State Warriors probably can still taste the cigars in their mouths and smell the champagne in the locker room, fresh off their five-game dismantling of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Around this time last offseason, Golden State was concerned about blowing a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals and trying to keep up with the Cavaliers. On the inside, they were silently recruiting Kevin Durant to come join them and reign over the NBA.
On July 4, 2016, Durant announced his departure from Oklahoma City and arrival in the Bay Area. The Warriors were basically crowned NBA Champions the day after and nothing changed 11 months later when Durant raised his first Larry O’Brien Trophy. The Warriors lost one game during the playoffs — when LeBron James, Kyrie Irving and the Cavaliers played out of their minds.
The Warriors will have some cap space issues once they give Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry the max contracts they deserve, so they’ll have to find some ring chasers, who would be willing to take less money for the chance to compete for an NBA Title.
This past season, David West, Matt Barnes, JaVale McGee and Zaza Pachulia filled in that role of cheap, ring chasers. Want to hear a list of their free agents? Assuming Curry and Durant come back, Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston, Ian Clark, McGee, Pachulia, West and Barnes will all be free agents.
The likelihood that they all return is pretty slim, so let’s take a look at five free-agent ring chasers that the Warriors can add to make a run at the title in 2017-18.
5. Jason Terry, SG, Milwaukee Bucks
Can’t you imagine Jason Terry, the JET, hitting a corner 3-pointer from a Kevin Durant pass and then doing his patented airplane celebration? I sure as hell can. The 39-year old played as a backup shooting guard for the Milwaukee Bucks this past season. After winning the NBA Championship with Dallas, Terry is likely to want to chase another ring, especially on the back-nine of his career.
He played in 18 minutes every night off the bench, shooting 43 percent from the field and 42 percent from 3-point range. That bodes well with what the Warriors want to do. Golden State will have to add veteran players at minimum contracts to be able to fill out the roster.
Terry isn’t going to play big minutes for Golden State, but he’s an aging veteran that’s won a ‘ship, knows how to play in tense moments and has the ability to consistently hit the three-point shot.
The Warriors won’t have much cap space after re-signing their two biggest stars, so adding players like Terry will be pivotal to the success of their bench in the upcoming years. He’s just one option for a Golden State team that looks poised to repeat as Champions.