Four Free Agent Targets to Bolster the Warriors Bench

There’s something going on with Golden State. Despite Stephen Curry putting up almost 33 points per game on comfortable 51/42/94 shooting splits, and 7 boards and assists per contest each, the Warriors are only 4-7. Their starting unit is still in the NBA’s highest echelon in terms of box plus/minus and other impact stats, but once their bench takes the floor, the momentum shifts very quickly.

So what’s the problem? While many fans are quick to blame James Wiseman, who admittedly hasn’t been exactly stellar this year (total plus/minus of -69), he isn’t the only culprit. Jordan Poole seems to have regressed and is sitting at a team-worst -97 this year, new free agent acquisition JaMychal Green can’t find his jumper, other signing Donte Divincenzo has barely played due to injury, and Ty Jerome, a two-way player, is getting significant minutes while not making all that much of an impact. The team has essentially one semi-reliable asset off the pine right now in Moses Moody; that’s not going to work.

The fix isn’t simple. With the current roster construction, it’s going to take time to get the lineups that work, and to get the buy-in from the roster top to bottom. Another solution would be a trade, offloading some of the younger guys like Wiseman and Jonathan Kuminga for proven rotational players that can come in and fill the bench roles the Warriors actually need them to play. The best, however? Like any good contending champion, Golden State may turn to current and, later on, post-buy-out free agents to give them some quality minutes. Here are four which might do the trick.

1) Dwight Howard
Yes, he just signed a contract in Taiwan, and it’s already been reported that the Warriors aren’t particularly interested. But depending on who you ask, a backup center is what the Warriors are lacking the most right now. Wiseman’s job is to contest shots in the paint and operate as the roll-man in a pick-and-roll scheme. But the kid’s used to having the ball in his hands, and he has skills he could better develop in the G-League once their season begins. So who better to fill his spot than a former 3-time Defensive Player of the Year and one of the most athletic finishers to ever take the court? Howard’s career has been stymied by attitude issues and injury, but he has championship experience, and it’s obvious now that he’s willing to buy in so he can count up his rings. His general shooting and free throws may be an issue, as well as need for injury management, but in spurts, he can give Golden State some minutes akin to what JaVale McGee used to provide. It also helps plenty that he thinks he’d be an excellent mentor for Wiseman, and an asset to the team.

2) Avery Bradley
It’s become obvious that you can’t just replace what Gary Payton II brought to the team last year. But what about another disruptive guard who trades in vertical finishing ability for a nice jumper? Bradley was the odd man out on the Warriors’ roster last year, with GP2 taking the last roster spot after a great performance in camp. Bradley played for the Lakers last year, where he shot 39% from downtown on roughly 3 and a half attempts a game. Given the desperation for a defensive bolstering that seems to be plaguing the team at the moment, a vet like this would be a welcome addition to help shore up a defensive unit which should be far outperforming the numbers it’s putting up now.

3) DeMarcus Cousins
Did somebody say reunion? Although Cousins’s best years are behind him already at age 32, the former all-star put up a lot of quality minutes for the Denver Nuggets last season. Cousins was rostered for the Warriors in 2019 when they lost to the Raptors in the NBA Finals, but he’s proven he can be a productive player off the bench since then despite his major injuries and need to sit for load management sometimes. Cousins is a serviceable three-point shooter who can dominate the paint, and while he’s not exactly clamps on the defensive end, he could provide a rock for a second unit that lacks experience. Not to mention, he’s already familiar with Kerr’s system, which is one of the things lacking from the current bench mob.

4) D.J. Augustin
Given Jordan Poole’s reluctance to be aggressive, why not go with some scoring? D.J. Augustin is another guy who played for the Lakers last year and put in a solid season, shooting 42% from three before being traded to Houston. The real kicker, though, is his playoff numbers: In postseason stints with the Orlando Magic, he was striping the rock to the tune of a scorching-hot 47% percent shooting from three. His 2-point percentage isn’t great, but he provides value as a floor-stretcher who has veteran experience. If the Warriors decide to put Poole in position as more of a scoring guard, Augustin could potentially be a solid backcourt mate for him as a facilitator and pass target… Assuming he can clean up a bit defensively.

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