Warriors: 1 free agent signing to make, 1 free agent to avoid

PHILADELPHIA, PA - APRIL 19: Kelly Oubre Jr. #12 of the Golden State Warriors in action against the Philadelphia 76ers during an NBA basketball game at Wells Fargo Center on April 19, 2021 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Warriors defeated the 76ers 107-96. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /

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SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 25: Kelly Oubre Jr. #12 of the Golden State Warriors warms up before the game against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center on March 25, 2021 in Sacramento, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /

Re-signing Oubre is a luxury Golden State cannot afford

Oubre Jr. is a quality wing in a league where there just aren’t enough quality options to go around. Even so, the Warriors need to find a way to get off his potential eight-figure salary moving forward. Oubre Jr. just isn’t good enough to justify the immense cost to Golden State in terms of their luxury tax predicament.

In an ideal world, the Warriors can find a way to extract some value from the player via a sign-and-trade. Teams with salary-cap space that are starved for wing players should be willing to offer some measure of draft compensation in exchange for his services.

Golden State should be prepared to let Oubre Jr. walk even if they’re forced to accept nothing in return for his departure. The team has to start cleaning up their cap sheet at some point. Losing a decent wing will be painful for the Warriors in the short term, but their hope must be that Thompson can soak up a significant portion of his minutes on the wing.

Letting Oubre Jr. walk in free agency won’t be a popular decision with Warriors fans desperate to see their team reload for another title push, but it’s an economic decision they must make given the immense financial pressures surrounding the current roster. His time in the Bay needs to be done.

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