3 NBA champion Warriors who won’t be back next season
By Ian Levy
The Warriors rebuilt a championship roster while simultaneously setting the table for the future. But some players might not be around for all of it.
The Warriors walked an incredibly fine line this season, getting healthy and surrounding their core with enough complementary talent to win their fourth ring. And they did it will adding incredibly talented young players like James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody and developing future stars like Jordan Poole.
The Warriors’ championship window is wide open but some of the players on this year’s title team might not be around for all of it. Here are a few players who might not get a chance to help the team defend their title next season.
3. Damion Lee might be looking for more than the Warriors can give
This one is far from a done deal but Lee is an unrestricted free agent this offseason and could have the opportunity to go somewhere he’d be able to play a bit more. Lee appeared in a career-high 63 games last season for the Warriors, but he was essentially entirely out of the playoff rotation and with Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody likely to get more minutes next season, his role could shrink even further.
Lee is married to Sydel Curry, Steph and Seth’s sister, which could make a Warriors’ separation difficult. But he’s 29 years old, now has a ring, and might welcome an opportunity to bump up his salary and play a larger role elsewhere.