Getty Juan Toscano-Anderson defends LeBron James during a game between the Golden State Warriors and the LA Lakers.
The Golden State Warriors could have some competition this summer for their hometown swingman.
Oakland native Juan Toscano-Anderson has been an important spark plug off the bench for the Warriors, injecting some athleticism and defensive intensity into Steve Kerr’s lineup. But with the wing headed to free agency after the season, the Warriors could have some tough competition if they want to keep him, one analyst predicts.
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Toscano-Anderson Could Head East
In a story analyzing the biggest hole that every team has to fill this offseason, Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes noted that the Chicago Bulls are in need of a switchable defensive big man — which would fit Toscano-Anderson’s profile. Hughes noted that if Zack LaVine leaves in free agency, the Bulls will need to prioritize finding a high-volume scorer. If LaVine returns, then the team could focus on “finding a big man who can fit into the downsized lineups so many teams rely on in high-stakes playoff games.”
That could lead the Bulls to take a look at Toscano-Anderson, Hughes speculated.
“Juan Toscano-Anderson is as versatile and positionless as defenders get—literally, if you use BBall Index’s Defensive Versatility score, where JTA ranked highest in the league in 2021-22,” Hughes wrote. “The Bulls should see if he’s gettable for the minimum.”
Hear me out, Juan Toscano-Anderson knows Kerr’s system + how to turn a good shot into a great one for a teammate—just like GP2 does
Not the same ball-hawk defensively but he (along with Kuminga) could see his minutes rise in this undersized Grizzlies matchup #NBA #DubNation
Moving to a new team would also allow Toscano-Anderson to play a bigger role, as he has often found himself stuck at the end of Kerr’s rotations.
Warriors Face Tough Decisions
Though Kerr has made it clear that he highly values Toscano-Anderson for his energy and toughness, the team will face some difficult decisions about what free agents to keep and which ones to let walk.
The San Francisco Chronicle’s Conor Letourneau noted that the team could have a difficult time affording defensive-minded guard Gary Payton II after his breakout season with the Warriors. After hovering around the edges of the league for the last six years, spending the majority of his time in the G League, Payton found a home in the Warriors rotation and averaged career-highs of 7.1 points and 3.5 rebounds in 17.6 minutes per game.
“Payton’s ballooning market value places the Warriors in a tricky position: They want to lock him down long-term, but a team already deep into the luxury tax might struggle to justify such a steep price for a role player,” Letourneau wrote. “This is a franchise that declined to use its $5.9 million taxpayer mid-level exception last summer because it wanted to keep its total payroll under $400 million.”
Gary Payton II at shootaround in Memphis with that big brace on his left arm
Letourneau noted that the mid-level exception is projected to rise to $10.3 million next season, which would fit Payton’s projected range but would leave the Warriors with a luxury tax greater than $40 million.
The Warriors have a number of other impending free agents on the roster, including Kevon Looney, Damion Lee, and Andre Iguodala — who is expected to retire following the season. Aside from that, the team will likely have to plan on a massive raise for third-year guard Jordan Poole, who has grown into an NBA star this season after splitting time between the G League and Golden State through last season.
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