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

Warriors free agent target: Trey Burke

Burke is an interesting name.

Like Waiters, the former Wolverine is a natural scorer who has struggled with efficiency at times in his career. Unlike Waiters, however, Burke has shown an ability to run a functional pick-and-roll and a willingness to pass to open teammates.

Burke played for the G-League’s Stockton Kings last season and showed enough to get the Warriors workout. He shot 42 percent from 3 and averaged nearly 16 points and 4 assists over 29 games. If the shot is reliable, his outlook changes considerably.

With Steph, CP3, and Cory Joseph on the roster, the Warriors seem set at the point guard position. But if they feel the need for some injury insurance, Burke would be a fine selection.

Warriors free agent target: Harry Giles

People still whisper with awe about the Harry Giles high school experience. Unfortunately, that player is long gone. Giles hasn’t played in the NBA since the 2020-21 season, and we don’t have much tape of him as an effective NBA player.

Giles was projected to be a high-revving, rim-running center who could beast in transition and clean the glass with authority. He had eye-popping stats in high school on both ends. Unfortunately, devastating injuries have sapped his athleticism, and he never stayed healthy long enough to develop his feel for the game.

The Warriors will likely be looking closely to see just how much bounce and quick-twitch he has left. Unlike point guard, center is a definite position of need for Golden State. Looney is solid, but he’s never been a 35-minute-per-night player. The team will likely try to limit Green’s minutes there during the regular season, leaving Dario Saric as the lone other big.

There is at least a theoretical upside to the 25-year-old Giles, who would undoubtedly benefit from having actual game reps. As we learned with James Wiseman, though, Golden State doesn’t have time for projects as they try to maximize what remains of Curry’s prime. Giles will have to have one heck of a workout to convince Golden State to take a flyer on him.