Wednesday 30 July 2014

Filling out the Warriors roster for training camp

Golden State made its biggest acquisition of the summer by using its full Mid-Level Exception on Shaun Livingston. While this was not a blockbuster move by any means, it does give the team a capable backup point guard behind Stephen Curry which they attempted to address last season in trading for veteran Steve Blake. Now, with 13 players under contract (one non-guaranteed) for next season, the Warriors will look to make minor additions in filling out their training camp roster. Due to their current cap situation (no MLE or BAE remaining), the team is limited to only "minimum guys" and undrafted rookies. Nevertheless, there are definitely serviceable players on the market when placed in the right environment.

Let's take a look at who the Warriors could potentially sign to round out the roster. 

Al Harrington
The Warriors are targeting a stretch four which would improve floor spacing and a reoccurring name this offseason is Kevin Love. Although Golden State would love to add another star in Love to pair with Curry, there are clearly cheaper options available without surrendering assets such as Klay Thompson. Al Harrington, the 16 year vet shot 34% from three-point territory last year with the Wizards and he could be had for minimum salary. In addition to shooting, Harrington would give the Warriors toughness inside as well as a veteran presence.

Byron Mullens
Mullens is another big man who has the ability to step outside and shoot the ball from deep. The former Sixers center shot 37% from downtown last season and had a good stint in Charlotte two years ago. If Mullens can regain his form and play rotational minutes at the four or five, he would be a viable option for Golden State.

Emeka Okafor
The past two years have seen Andrew Bogut and Festus Ezeli go down with injuries. Thus, it would not hurt to add depth and insurance at the center position. Okafor himself dealt with a herniated disc in his neck last year, missing the duration of the season. Looking to rebound off this injury, Emeka Okafor is an excellent get for the Warriors at the vet minimum. With career per game averages of 12.3 points, 9.9 rebounds and 1.7 blocks, Okafor is a physical interior presence who will assist in rim protection.

James Michael-McAdoo
McAdoo did not have a spectacular showing on the Warriors summer league squad but his energy and hustle may earn him a training camp invite. The former Tar Heel still struggles to get his own shot and is not much of an offensive threat. He can certainly improve from an efficiency standpoint (shot 42% from the field). Although McAdoo may lack the necessary tools to be a full-time starter, his physical frame, athleticism and versatility could make him a valuable rotation player. 

Yuki Togashi
The 5'7" Japanese point guard had a solid campaign with the Dallas Mavericks summer league team despite playing minimal minutes. Already a fan favorite, Togashi would instantly be welcomed by the highly populated Asian community in the Bay Area. Togashi displayed a nice tear drop over bigger defenders during the summer league and also scored 10 points in 12 minutes against the Charlotte Hornets. Could "Toga" be the next one to fill the Bazemore role?

Who would you like see the Warriors sign? Let me know in the comments section below. 

No comments:

Post a Comment