In many ways, the growth Kelly Oubre Jr. displayed throughout his first season with the Golden State Warriors might come back to bite them. His strong stint in the Bay will help him earn a more lucrative deal elsewhere.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Oubre has an interest in joining a different team this summer. A chance to make more money and potentially play a bigger role, who wouldn’t want to leave? However, Oubre would be sacrificing quite a bit by leaving the Dubs — and the Warriors themselves will be left with a void in their lineup without him.
Whether or not Oubre is the sixth man shouldn’t impact his decision to leave the Dubs. After all, he’ll still be a key rotational player and likely close many games alongside Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Draymond Green. The Warriors can’t pay Oubre as much as other teams, but they can nearly guarantee a chance to battle for a title.
Regardless, Oubre has numerous teams ready to make a bid for him. And, I’m not sure if the Warriors can compete with them.
It’s not looking good for the Golden State Warriors. Kelly Oubre has numerous teams lined up to make an offer for him this summer.
According to reports, Oubre is garnering attention from New York, San Antonio and Miami. This is bad news for Golden State as both the Knicks and Heat can offer Oubre a significant role on a playoff-contending team.
Oubre would be a good fit in New York, as the Knicks were one of the league’s best defensive teams but struggled from the 3-point line. Oubre’s 3-and-D presence makes him an easy addition to a team that finished fourth in the East last year.
However, his role would be even better in Miami. Though the Heat were bounced early this season, it is assumed their shortened offseason and lingering injuries had something to do with it. At their core, the Heat still have a championship-caliber rotation. Oubre makes them even stronger, acting as an ideal floor-spacer and defender in this lineup.
While the Warriors can give Oubre a more solidified unit that has proven they can win titles, there is an increasing opportunity for Oubre to go elsewhere and still compete. For this reason, Oubre might be on his way out of the Bay.