Warriors’ Kelly Oubre Jr. would make more sense with Spurs than Heat
The Golden State Warriors may want to bring back shooting guard Kelly Oubre Jr., but with him becoming an unrestricted free agent this offseason, they may not get the option to bring him back or even match any contract.
Even if they could, they’re so limited in cap space they likely would have to let him walk. It’s sad as Oubre Jr. was traded to Golden State and used his energy and passion to quickly become a fan favorite.
With multiple teams interested in Kelly Oubre Jr., heading to New York or San Antonio makes the most sense for the Golden State Warriors guard.
Oubre Jr. has his sights set on $20 million annually, and his camp thinks that is very obtainable. Well, for the Warriors, it would put them out of contention unless drastic moves were made. In this market, Oubre Jr. should be able to find that type of deal somewhere as well.
However, at that rate, there’s a handful of teams that may want Oubre Jr. Right now, it’s the New York Knicks, Miami Heat, and San Antonio Spurs that reports say are targeting the 25-year-old guard.
The Knicks would be a great organization for Oubre Jr. With other teams involved, San Antonio makes much more sense than Miami. The Spurs do not have that long-term, star option, but they have the culture that breeds success.
The Heat have Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and Tyler Herro. Miami has a handful of young players that could limit Oubre Jr.’s ceiling or playing time. Even Kendrick Nunn should be mentioned in that group.
In San Antonio, they have Dejounte Murray who would be running the backcourt with Oubre Jr. Keldon Johnson and Jakob Poetlt are also there. DeMar DeRozan was a go-to option, but he’s no longer with the organization unless he re-signs there.
Oubre Jr. is a big-time player, and his energy needs a big market. The primary location that would ooze with success in New York. But, given how the Spurs are structured and how they play basketball, San Antonio would also make a ton of sense.
While he may head to whichever team gives him the best contract, there’s no denying that some may present more obvious opportunities for him. Ultimately, he’ll undoubtedly do what’s best for him, even if that means sticking around another season in Golden State.