The Golden State Warriors should consider signing Thon Maker

Prior to the 2020 NBA Trade Deadline, the Golden State Warriors made a blockbuster move. It was the D’Angelo Russell-to-Minnesota trade that kicked off an interesting period in Warriors basketball.

That deal was a massive win for the Dubs as they returned Andrew Wiggins and the Wolves’ 2021 first-round pick. It was a deal the Warriors would easily do again despite that pick having a top-three protection slapped on it.

The Golden State Warriors are struggling to find frontcourt depth, and former lottery pick Thon Maker could be a great option for the remainder of the season.

With the team emptying many players in that trade, they were left with Marquess Chriss, Kevon Looney, and rookie James Wiseman to start the season.

Chriss broke his leg early on and has been out ever since. He was recently traded to the Spurs. As for Wiseman, he had an up-and-down rookie season that will likely end with a torn meniscus, leaving just Looney.

Looney isn’t bad. He was a former first-round pick by the Warriors, and he’s one of just a handful of Golden State players that are currently above a minimum-value contract. However, they’ll need more, and they’ll need it soon.

The Warriors are still under .500. They’ll be in contention for a play-in game spot, but they’ll need more skill in their frontcourt. Thon Maker, a former top-ten pick, could bring that. Maker is currently a free agent.

The last time he played in the NBA, Maker was part of the Cavaliers organization. He’s played this season, spending eight games with the Cavs. During that stint, he averaged 3.8 points per game on 56 percent shooting. That’s not bad for a player that is getting just 9.5 minutes per game.

At 7-foot, that 56 percent was easily Maker’s best percentage in his career. While it’s a small sample size compared to his career as a whole, if the Warriors could get that from a big man, they would be drastically better.

With a 7-foot-3 wingspan, even if he can’t score well, Maker could be a big presence down low and should be able to dramatically improve the team’s rebounder. Combine his hopefully improved shooting, the team’s need for a big and his size, and it’s easy to see why Maker could be a good fit.

If the Warriors care much about this season, not having a second big man is a problem they’ll want to resolve in the near future. Maker may not be a premier option, but at the end of the day, he’s a big man that can fill a need.

For now, that’s all Golden State can ask.