Warriors offseason misses were somehow even worse than we thought

On balance, the Golden State Warriors' offseason was a resounding success. They dodged a bullet with Klay Thompson, added several impactful depth pieces, and increased financial flexibility around Stephen Curry and Draymond Green. Few contenders are better prepared to land an impact talent via trade in the months to come. Mike Dunleavy Jr. and the front office did an excellent job.

That said, it's hard not to get caught up in what the Warriors' summer could have been. The Dubs were in the mix for multiple All-Stars and whiffed. What was a strong offseason could've been a great offseason, but Golden State ultimately felt compelled to keep Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski in-house, rather than shelling out prime assets for star-power.

A Paul George trade was reportedly on the one-yard line before negotiations fell through, leading the veteran swingman to Philadelphia. Then, Golden State was the only contender connected to Lauri Markkanen, who ultimately extended his contract in Utah. The reason Markkanen fell through? The Jazz wanted Podziemski, who Golden State stubbornly kept off the table.

Adding an elite play-finishing wing next to Steph and Draymond could've taken Golden State to the next level. Both George and Markkanen were excellent on-paper fits in their own ways. George is a two-way monster with real on-ball juice. Markkanen is one of the NBA's best shooters as a 7-footer. Plugging him into Golden State's maze of screens and off-ball actions would've created hell on earth for opposing defenders.

Instead, the Dubs added De'Anthony Melton, Kyle Anderson, Buddy Hield, and called it a day. Those are all positive additions, but it could've been so much more. And, evidently, George and Markkanen weren't the only All-Stars Golden State missed out on.

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DeMar DeRozan says Warriors were on his list before choosing Kings

DeMar DeRozan wound up with the Sacramento Kings on a three-year, $74 million contract this offseason. It was a natural destination for the SoCal native, who now teams up with two bonafide All-Stars in De'Aaron Fox and Domantas Sabonis. Before landing in the state capitol, however, DeRozan considered several other contenders — including Golden State. From Sam Amick of The Athletic:

"DeRozan, who league sources say explored scenarios with the Philadelphia 76ers, Miami Heat, San Antonio Spurs and Warriors in search of a market value deal, had grown more fond of the Sacramento idea as time went on."

There were obvious hurdles to clear — first and foremost, the "market value deal" — but DeRozan was well within reach for the Warriors, who had the contracts to engineer a sign-and-trade similar to the deal Sacramento ultimately pulled off. That would've given the Warriors a new source of self-creation and shot-making in the starting lineup. That extra dynamic next to Steph has been lacking in recent years.

Concerns about age are valid, but the 35-year-old DeRozan has been one of the most durable NBA stars for the majority of his career. He appeared in 79 games last season for Chicago and led the league at 37.8 minutes per game. That is an impressive accomplishment on its own, not to mention his actual exploits on the court.

He's not much of a defender, but DeRozan's improved playmaking chops and increasingly three-level scoring make him a serious contributor on the wing. He would've helped this Golden State team a lot, and for much less financially than either George or Markkanen.

Just add this to the list of missed opportunities for the Dubs.