Golden State Warriors release guard Ky Bowman

With NBA free agency starting this weekend and the Warriors in the middle of a financial crisis, Golden State decided to move on from the second-year guard.

Friday afternoon, the Golden State Warriors announced that they had released Ky Bowman, a second-year guard out of Boston College, which they signed as an undrafted free agent last season. This past season, Bowman played in 45 games for the Warriors, averaging 7.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.0 steals while shooting 41.7% from the floor and 30.8% from three-point range.

With news surfacing earlier in the week about Klay Thompson tearing his Achilles tendon, the Golden State Warriors needed to make a big move before free agency and they did so by trading for Kelly Oubre Jr. Bringing in Oubre will not only push them deeper into financial restraints but cost them millions of dollars in taxes since they are way over the luxury tax threshold. However, the Warriors will absorb Kelly Oubre’s $14.4M contract for the 2020-21 NBA season with their $17.2M trade exception they have from trading Andre Iguodala to the Memphis Grizzlies last season.

Unfortunately for Bowman, he ended up being the odd-man-out on the Warriors roster since they had 16 players on the roster after drafting James Wiseman, Nico Mannion and Justinian Jessup. It is projected that the Warriors are not finished finalizing their roster for the 2020-21 NBA Season and are looking to add at least one more piece through free agency, meaning someone else will likely be cut from the roster. Damion Lee and Marquese Chriss both have partially-guaranteed contracts and Mychal Mulder’s contract for the 2020-21 season is non-guaranteed so if anyone will likely be waived, it will be Mulder unless they sign him to a two-way contract for the 2020-21 season.

With free agency on the horizon, the Warriors have been rumored to have interest in Derrick Rose, Avery Bradley, Wesley Matthews and D.J. Augustin, all of which could help the Warriors big time this upcoming season. Golden State does not have much depth behind Steph Curry and since Shaun Livingston hung up his uniform for good, the Warriors need to be willing to go “all-in” this season and pursue another big name veteran to make this team a contender since Klay will miss yet another season with a major injury.

By acquiring Kelly Oubre Jr., Warriors’ ownership made it clear they are willing to spend money to keep this team as one of the league’s best and even though Klay’s injury will cost the Warriors millions, they are willing to do what it takes to try and win yet another NBA Championship. Look for Bob Myers and the Warriors’ front office to be aggressive when free agency begins and attempt to sign one or two big name veterans to solidify this roster.