NBA Free Agency: Golden State Warriors left in limbo as stars await trade

The Golden State Warriors remain with at least two moves to make in the coming days/weeks, left with 12 contracted players for next season after a quiet opening to free agency that’s seen them re-sign Draymond Green and acquire veteran point-guard Cory Joseph.

Many Warrior fans have been left frustrated by the team’s inactivity over the opening four days, particularly when possible targets like Torrey Craig and Mason Plumlee signed with rival teams on Monday.

The Golden State Warriors have been left in free agency limbo as a pair of superstar players await new destinations this offseason.

While the cash-strapped Warriors are heavily limited by possessing only minimum contracts, along with the inability to offer guaranteed roles and playing time, the waiting game on prospective free agents isn’t just about them as a franchise.

According to Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fisher on Monday, the trade requests of Damian Lillard and James Harden are “stalling several areas of the marketplace”. In other words, the decision-making process of both free agents and teams are being impacted by the unresolved futures of the guard duo.

After an almost annoyingly-large amount of speculation over recent months and even years, Lillard officially requested a trade away from the only NBA franchise he’s ever known over the weekend.

While many believe Portland should do the right thing in accommodating his request to join the Miami Heat, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski has reported that the franchise will simply scour the league for the best possible deal.

Last week Harden opted in to his $35.6 million player option for next season, but only under the premise of exploring a trade away from the Philadelphia 76ers. While maybe not quite at the same stature of Lillard nowadays, Harden’s still at a level that has others contemplating their future depending on the outcome.

What does it mean for the Golden State Warriors?

Croatian big man Dario Saric was one player strongly linked to the Warriors prior to free agency. According to Fisher, the 29-year-old power-forward/center is one player impacted by the Lillard outcome specifically.

"“Other players like Josh Christopher, recently traded from Houston to Memphis, and Dario Šarić, who had a strong suitor in Golden State, could also be involved with Miami depending on these Lillard proceedings”, Fisher wrote."

Having found their third point-guard in Joseph, Golden State will almost assuredly target frontcourt depth with their remaining roster spots. Saric may fill one of those as someone capable of playing both the four and the five, but the timing of his free agency decision could be dependant on the Lillard outlook over the coming days.