So now that free agency is pretty much up and running, here’s a quick scope of the guards and forwards that maybe available for the Warriors.
I actually at a toss up on who to choose first. Realistically, most of the free agents that are available aren’t good enough to throw a bunch of money at. Of course, an upgrade on the wing is pressing as well. Let’s just see what the Warriors can do in the FA market before throwing down blockbuster trades for someone like Dwight Howard or even Chris Paul ;-)!
1. Tayshaun Prince, F – This guys is sorta of a freak. Long arms, skinny but strong. He can knock down the open jumper (beyond the three too) and plays much better defense than some of the Warriors. But he’s asking too much money for the Warriors to be interested, which leads to……
2. Andrei Kirilenko, F – AK47. I mean really the initials says it all. This guy should be a beast!!! But he’s been hampered by injuries in the past few years and was overly overpaid in his last contract. But the guy can defend more than the forwards, knock down open shots and play decent defense. If he isn’t commanding another huge contract, then he could be a fit.
3. Reggie Williams, SF – Yeah, he’s a Warrior already but he is also a FA. Williams put up a decent showing last year. Actually he was one of the few that weren’t named Ellis or Curry to play hard every game. And although he’ll get a pay increase, he was under $1 million last year. And from his rookie season, his sophomore campaign saw an increase in every category averaging about 15 ppg. He seemed like he found a good fit with Ellis and Curry, so if the Warriors can’t find any good FA to come, the Warriors should retain his services.
4. James Jones, F – It’s hard playing in a city where all the fans are late to their seats even though they’ve got three two of the game’s biggest stars on one team. But he was able to hit knock down threes, so unless his money is outrageous, the Heat could keep him around to keep the floor spaced for Wade and James. But, he could be a great addition for the Warriors if they can get him to sign. Because of his skill of knocking down threes in the corner, it could open up lanes for Curry and Ellis to finish without too much traffic in the paint. And he’s known to give other team’s forwards some issues, which is a good thing if Mark Jackson is head coach. The guy preaches defense!
5. Brandon Roy, Shawn Marion, Andres Nocioni, G/F/F – All three are technically not available, but if they are amnesty cut by their team, they could become available. Roy is coming off his “comeback” year but his knees should worry upper Warrior management and he may need the ball too much to contribute. But when you can have another scorer coming off the bench that still can command attention, it maybe worth to throw some small money to him. Marion is coming off a championship year and most likely he’ll likely want to go back to the Mavs. But if they can’t have him back, he would be a great addition. The Matrix can still shoot, is great in a pick and roll and still can move his old feet. Nocioni was once a promising player but is now just a puzzle piece to fit. He can still score and although he isn’t as commanding as Roy and Marion to a degree, he is still a threat, something the Warriors don’t have with their bigger men.
All thèse don’t seem like a viable option for the Warriors except to resign Reggie Williams. But so far, the league and NBA has surprised me so maybe we’ll get another Christmas gift this season!