Golden State Warriors must use $5.7 million dollar MLE this summer

The summer of 2021 is going to be a crucial one in determining who the Golden State Warriors are for the foreseeable future. They are currently straddling a few different potential timelines and have some big decisions to make regarding free agency, the NBA Draft and hypothetical trades.

Some think the Dubs should swap their draft capital for another star or perhaps some depth. Others are in favor of buckling down on the young core and adding two more lottery prospects to go alongside James Wiseman and Jordan Poole.

Wherever you stand on the matter of going all-in versus rebuilding  — I think we all agree the Warriors will need to use their $5.7 million dollar mid-level exception this summer to add a veteran free agent.

There is no time to waste. The Golden State Warriors need to take advantage of their $5.7 million dollars mid-level exception this offseason.

Look at it this way: Regardless of what the Dubs do in the draft, they will be needing some help to round out their rotations and compete for a playoff spot. They can’t fully rely on inexperienced talent to accommodate the big three. Golden State has to find someone reliable to lead the second unit.

The good thing is, this offseason is loaded with lower-level free agents who can make a difference for Golden State. Here are a few:

• J.J. Reddick
• Will Barton
• Patrick Mills
• Tony Snell
• Paul Milsap
• P.J. Tucker
• Derrick Rose
• Robin Lopez
• Alec Burks
• Reggie Bullock

Which direction should the Dubs take it? Some versatile forwards like Barton, Snell, Burks and Bullock seem like good targets to start with. Patching up the potential loss of Kelly Oubre would be made easier with one of these guys.

Or, they can look for a specialist. Reddick is a deadly 3-point shooter to add to the mix while Tucker is the 3-and-D guy they need to play big minutes in the postseason. Of course, reliable point guards like Rose and Millss can step in as leaders of the second unit as well.

With all of these options on the market, it will be nothing short of a disappointment if the Dubs end up fumbling this opportunity to make the most of their MLE.