Last offseason, the Golden State Warriors were set to make adding a backup point guard a priority as they entered free agency. They did just that and, in doing so, added former Boston Celtics guard Brad Wanamaker.
Wanamaker tag-teamed with Nico Mannion, the Warriors second-round pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, to backup two-time MVP Stephen Curry. Well, neither are with the team this season as Mannion is heading to Italy and Wanamaker was traded midseason to the Charlotte Hornets.
The Golden State Warriors have signed three players and drafted two. They have one gaping hole left on their roster, and it’s the spot behind Stephen Curry.
Right now, the Warriors could give the starting backup point guard role to Jordan Poole, the former first-round pick entering his third season in the NBA. Poole has earned it, but he’s not quite the traditional point guard.
While they could head to the free agency market to fill the hole, there aren’t many quality veterans still in that market. The Warriors do have the mid-level exception still in their back pocket but could end up using that on veteran forward Paul Millsap.
At the end of the day, the more likely option will be to either trade for one or wait until players start to get bought out of their contracts. That said, let’s dive into two key reasons why this is a void that must be filled.