Golden State Warriors will pursue Michael Carter-Williams in FA

The Golden State Warriors are looking to fill a void at the guard position and Michael Carter-Williams is one of their top targets in free agency.

The summer has been filled with rumors of what the Golden State Warriors will do in the offseason. Speculation on who they might select in the 2020 NBA Draft or use for their $17 million dollar trade exception has run rampant. One potential target in free agency, Michael Carter-Williams, has been mostly overlooked.

As Anthony Slater of The Athletic pointed out recently, the Warriors have a glaring gap in their lineup. While the entire rotation could use some buffing in the second unit, no area is weaker than their guard depth chart. As of now, only Ky Bowman and Jordan Poole stand as backups to the Splash Brothers.

This is concerning as the Warriors’ front office has addressed the importance of managing Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson’s minutes next season. These two are only getting older and we have seen all too well how the wear and tear of multiple title runs can break them down. It will be hard to rely on two unproven prospects to act as backups for Curry and Thompson.

Williams can help this issue. The 2014 Rookie of the Year is finding success as a backup guard for the Orlando Magic and could see similar prosperity with the Warriors. On the season, Williams averaged 7.2 points and 3.3 rebounds on the bench.

He is a lanky guard with great size and defensive capabilities. Williams is an adequate finisher with a smooth handle but leaves some to be desired as a shooter. For comparison, he plays similar to former Warriors backup, Shaun Livingston.

Williams would fill the same role as Livingston did. He is a trustworthy playmaker in the secondary and can generate open shots for the Dubs bench unit. Signing him for the mid-level exception shouldn’t be too difficult, making him a prime target for the franchise.