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The Golden State Warriors had a goal to sign some veteran players this offseason, but may have lost out on the chance to grab a former Los Angeles Lakers guard who ultimately landed in Boston.
Wes Goldberg of the Mercury News reported that the Warriors inquired about free agent Dennis Schroder, which would have required Golden State to use the $5.9 million taxpayer mid-level exception (TPMLE). The deal never came to fruition, leaving the Warriors short of an experienced veteran but still allowing them to keep some roster flexibility heading into the season.
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Schroder Picks Boston
As Brian Witt of NBC Sports Bay Area reported, it was not clear whether the Warriors offered Schroder the $5.9 million deal, which he ultimately ended up taking from the Celtics instead. The 27-year-old had been seen as a potential target for Golden State, a reliable guard who could anchor the second unit. Schroder averaged 15.4 points, 5.8 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.1 steals per game last season, starting all 61 games in which he played.
As Witt noted, Schroder’s decision to head to Boston means the Warriors could still use the TPMLE if they find the right target.
“Golden State currently has room for one more guaranteed contract, which almost certainly will be filled by a player on the minimum,” he wrote. “But should a player the Warriors deem worthy of the TPMLE — and the accompanying luxury tax payments — become available prior to the playoff push, they just might be glad they kept it in their back pocket.”
Warriors Add Some Veterans, Strike Out on Others
Warriors general manager Bob Myers said before the start of free agency that he wanted to add more veteran players, hoping that they would have more success than last season when some of their targets were scared away by the prospect of Klay Thompson missing the entire season.
“We need to add a couple guys,” Myers said during a July 30 post-draft press conference. “We need some veterans. I don’t know who that will be. We’ve got to find out if we can win a tie; if we offer somebody something, how do they feel about us? Like I said last year, I think we were close on some guys, but Klay’s injury, I don’t blame the players, they said, ‘Look, we’re going to go somewhere else.’ ”
Free agency got off to a rough start, with the Warriors losing out on veteran Nicolas Batum for the second straight offseason and the Lakers grabbing a number of the top veterans available. But Golden State was able to make some roster improvements, bringing back former NBA Finals MVP Andre Iguodala and reaching deals with Nemanja Bjelica and Otto Porter Jr.
The Warriors will also have an infusion of youth next season. Despite rumors that they were looking to package their two lottery picks together with young center James Wiseman to trade for an established star, Golden State ended up holding onto both of the picks, taking Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody. The rookies, along with Wiseman, all appear likely to play important roles in the Warriors rotation next season.
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