Golden State Warriors: Pass or pursue 7 offseason targets
By Tony Pesta
Golden State Warriors should consider Doug McDermott
The sixth-leading scorer in NCAA history, Doug McDermott has proven he can get buckets at any level of basketball. However, is his 3-point shooting worth the price?
Reason to pursue
If you want 3-point shooting, Doug is your guy. He’s shooting 41 percent from deep over his last four seasons and drilled nearly two 3-pointers a game this year. McDermott averaged a career-best 13.4 points and took on a larger role with the Indiana Pacers as a constant threat to score off-ball.
This type of player is intriguing to the Warriors, who excel at creating looks off-ball. McDermott can find a home as a catch-and-shoot threat on the Golden State bench.
Reasons to pass
Much like Portis, McDermott is a limited player. He improved as a rebounder and passer this year, but he still ranks below average in every department besides shooting. Unlike Portis, however, McDermott probably can’t play as a frontcourt member in small-ball lineups.
Furthermore, McDermott is a bit too expensive to sign outright. He made $7 million this year and will probably fish for an equal contract this summer after the best season of his career. It’s unclear if the Warriors will be able to afford the 29-year-old sharpshooter.
McDermott is a great idea on paper. However, I’m not sure he’s worth the Warriors eating up their entire $5.9 exception. They’d likely be better finding a more all-around talent with that money, rather than another 3-point specialist.