The Golden State Warriors signed Donte DiVincenzo and lost both Otto Porter Jr. and Gary Payton II. So far, they’ve been dubbed a loser in free agency, but there still are some big-name players available that could shake that mindset.
Losing Porter Jr. is the real issue here. While Payton II will hurt the team defensively, DiVincenzo should be able to help fill the void, especially since he’s a better three-point shooter and provides more offensively.
The Warriors have lost two key players while adding one, and so far, they’re being considered a loser in free agency, which has been open under a week.
The stretch-four skill set is something the Warriors will desperately need, and it’s why I would also consider them losers so far.
While Porter Jr. signing with the Raptors was impactful, Nemanja Bjelica heading to Europe instead of re-signing with Golden State also depleted the Dubs frontcourt. The combination of Bjelica and Porter Jr. both exiting really made this stretch-four need notable.
Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey took a look at winners and losers from the first few days of free agency, identifying the “The Max Players” as one of many winners and then the Warriors, Nets, and Mavs all as the key losers.
Here’s the last portion of what Bailey wrote, giving some positives to end his column on the struggles the Warriors may face without Porter Jr. and Payton II in the rotation. You can read the full column here.
"“Again, the offseason isn’t over. Signing Donte DiVincenzo may have eased the pain a bit. A mega trade might help too. It’s just not great at the moment,” Bailey wrote."
Payton II was both a feel-good story and a key rotational player for the Dubs.
Having found his home in the Bay Area and launching his career after many failed attempts, Payton II is now heading to Portland. Porter Jr. will be in Toronto. Bjelica will be playing for a Turkish team.
All three played a factor in the Warriors’ NBA Finals run.
DiVincenzo, having been a top-15 pick and an NBA Champion, will help.
The development of lottery picks Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody and James Wiseman will also aid the Warriors’ repeat attempt, but solely talking about free agency, it’s understandable to see why the Dubs were losers.
At the end of the day, matching those contracts wasn’t worth it to management, and it’s hard to fault the Warriors pushing their historic luxury tax bill even higher.