The Golden State Warriors could have had a disastrous Offseason because Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Ander Iguodala, and Shaun Livingston were all free agents, not to mention a couple of other key role players. Instead, they were able to keep their championship roster together while also attaining other crucial pieces.
Keeping the core together
The first two pieces to re-sign were Curry and Livingston. While Livingston took a three-year, $23.7 million deal, Curry signed an enormous five-year, $201 million contract, making him the highest paid player for the season.
A huge payday for Curry was bound to happen since his last contract was underpaying the two-time MVP.
Iguodala was the toughest player to bring back because he was actively being pursued by rival teams. In fact, the Warriors had to make three different offers to Iguodala until the 2015 Finals MVP finally agreed on a three-year, $48 million deal. It was obviously important for the Warriors to keep Iguodala, who is one of the best bench players in the league. His perimeter defense and versatility have been tremendously vital to the team’s success.
Lastly, the team was hoping to re-sign Durant, who vowed to take a pay cut to help the organization financially. The 2014 MVP signed a two-year, $51.2 million deal with a player option for the final year.
Durant took nearly $10 million less than the max and $7 million less than expected. His unselfishness helped the core unit stay intact.
Re-signing other key cogs
The Warriors weren’t done just yet. They wanted to keep some of their other bench players in Golden State as well, re-signing veteran David West, who will play his last season in the NBA, and ultimately bringing back JaVale McGee, who had a pleasant run last season with the team.
Bringing in other solid role players
Despite bringing back key pieces, the Warriors weren’t done with their offseason. At the expense of Ian Clark and James Michael McAdoo, they signed Nick Young and Omri Casspi. Just when we thought the Warriors couldn’t improve on their three-point shooting, they brought in two veteran sharpshooters to the mix.
The 2017 NBA draft
The Warriors went into the NBA draft without any picks, so they bought one instead. After the Chicago Bulls drafted Jordan Bell with the 38th overall pick, the Warriors traded cash considerations to acquire the defensive-minded big man. Bell showed some promise during Golden State’s Summer League games, recording an improbable 5x5 game.
Not only did the Warriors re-sign all their key players from last season’s championship run, but they also added two very reliable bench players and snatched solid talent during the draft. In other words, the rich keep getting richer.
Roster outlook
PG: Stephen Curry/Shaun Livingston SG: Klay Thompson/Nick Young/Patrick McCaw/Antonius Cleveland SF: Kevin Durant/Andre Iguodala/Omri Casspi PF: Draymond Green/David West/Jordan Bell/Kevon Looney/Chris Boucher C: Zaza Pachulia/JaVale McGee/Damian Jones Coach: Steve Kerr
Offseason Grade: A
