Golden State Warriors Contract Analysis: Shaun Livingston

The Golden State Warriors spent a pretty penny to keep Shaun Livingston, and he’s been a key contributor to this championship run. But will they bring him back next year?

Shaun Livingston was one of the greatest free agent signings in Golden State Warriors history when he agreed to a three-year deal worth $16.63 million in the summer of 2014.

He immediately helped the Warriors form one of the best bench units in the league, and Golden State won two championships in three years on that contract.

Livingston has never put up big box score numbers with the Warriors, but he’s been a solid defender and a reliable scorer in the mid-range when they need a bucket from the bench mob.

Livingston and Andre Iguodala both hit the open market as unrestricted free agents in the summer of 2017, and Golden State may have had to let one of them go if Kevin Durant wouldn’t have taken a pay cut in his first contract with the Warriors.

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Fortunately, that gave the front office enough flexibility to bring back both of those key veterans and they ended up signing Livingston to a three-year deal worth $23.7 million.

At first glance, that looks like a hefty contract for a soon-to-be 33-year-old who scores 5.5 points per game. However, there is only $2 million of guaranteed money in the third year of the deal, so the Warriors could get out of that contract after this season if they want to.

I would expect them to fully guarantee the third year of that contract if Livingston continues to play well this season, but this team is about to get even more expensive very soon with some of their superstars in need of contract extensions.

It all depends on how big of a luxury tax payment Joe Lacob is willing to pay.

If the Chase Center brings in as much money as it is expected to, those luxury tax payments won’t look so bad. But the Warriors have to make a decision on Livingston next offseason, before they move into their new arena.

If I had to make a bet, I think Livingston is still in Golden State in 2019. However, I’m not completely confident that the front office would want to pay him $7.7 million that year.

This season’s performance will determine whether they want to pick up the third year of that contract or not.