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Warriors rumors: Could Golden State add some old friends to the roster?

By Michael Shearer

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 12: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors is doused with water by Juan Toscano-Anderson #95 of the Golden State Warriors after their win over the Denver Nuggets at Chase Center on April 12, 2021 in San Francisco, California. Curry passed Wilt Chamberlain as the Golden State Warriors all-time leading scorer during the first quarter of their game. 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 Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 12: Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors is doused with water by Juan Toscano-Anderson #95 of the Golden State Warriors after their win over the Denver Nuggets at Chase Center on April 12, 2021 in San Francisco, California. Curry passed Wilt Chamberlain as the Golden State Warriors all-time leading scorer during the first quarter of their game. 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 Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /
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Apr 10, 2021; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Kent Bazemore (26) guars Houston Rockets guard John Wall (1) during the third quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 10, 2021; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Kent Bazemore (26) guars Houston Rockets guard John Wall (1) during the third quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports /

The Warriors are rumored to be working out several names to fill out their roster, including some familiar faces. Who should they add?

The Golden State Warriors currently only have 13 players under contract, but according to a recent Shams report, that might not be the case for much longer.

There is a lot to unpack here!

Like all teams that are successful for a long time, the Warriors have seen their depth fall off over the years. Right now, there are only six players who can be considered rock-solid, for-sure contributors: Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Kevon Looney, and Chris Paul.

After that, the Warriors are hoping that Gary Payton II can recapture his form from their most recent title year and that one or both of Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody pops in their third season, although that’s far from guaranteed. Cory Joseph and Dario Saric round out the back end of the rotation. The Warriors’ rookies seem unlikely to command minutes.

In other words, the Warriors have a lot of question marks. While none of the names that Shams mentions will be needle-movers, a few could be helpful innings-eaters during the regular season.

The Warriors may choose to sign zero, one, or two of these players; for teams with heavy luxury tax concerns, it’s become en-vogue to carry just 14 players. These names also show how weak the remaining free agent class is; more than half of these players didn’t play in the NBA last season!

That said, the Warriors won’t need much return here. 14th men aren’t going to change a team’s championship odds, and that spot is often given to guys with a strong locker room presence and high energy. Let’s dive in and see who might be the best fit.

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