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Golden State Warriors: Chicago bubble offers final chance for fringe players

By Tony Pesta

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 07: Dragan Bender #10 of the Golden State Warriors drives to the basket against Furkan Korkmaz #30 of the Philadelphia 76ers in the second half at Chase Center on March 07, 2020 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 07: Dragan Bender #10 of the Golden State Warriors drives to the basket against Furkan Korkmaz #30 of the Philadelphia 76ers in the second half at Chase Center on March 07, 2020 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /
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Playing the remainder of the NBA season in Chicago will deliver one final chance for players on the fringe of staying on the Golden State Warriors’ roster.

As a whole, the idea of the final eight teams finishing the season in a Chicago bubble seems a useless and unnecessary risk. With that being said, there is a good chance the Golden State Warriors will be suiting up to compete in Chicago at some point in the future.

Jackie MacMullen has been at the front of the reports stating that the NBA is planning on building a second bubble for the non-Orlando teams to compete. Each team is requesting a chance to at least conduct training camp with the hopes of eventually competing against one another in some form of scrimmage.

There is an incredibly low chance that Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson or Draymond Green compete in this second bubble. The Warriors’ core is much better taking this extended offseason to recover for next year.

Similar to the NBA’s Summer League, this string of games could serve as a final opportunity for some of the Dubs’ fringe players to secure a permanent spot on the roster. As injuries left the Warriors depleted for most of the season, there are more than a few players who received short-term contracts with the franchise.

The most notable player has to be Dragan Bender. The fourth pick in the 2016 NBA Draft has been mostly written off at only 22 years of age. He showed signs of growth this season on multiple 10-day contracts with the Dubs and has a chance to solidify his position on the team if he plays strong in Chicago (assuming the Warriors are able to bring him).

Other fringe players include Ky Bowman, Damion Lee, Mychal Mulder, Juan Toscano-Anderson and Chasson Randle. While Bowman and Lee have already secured longer-term deals with the Dubs due to their strong performances this season, playing good in the Chicago bubble would only strengthen their role with the team moving forward.

There isn’t much at stake for the Dubs in this return to play. But, for some of their players, this could be their last chance to prove they belong on the roster.

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