Ranking the 7 free agents Golden State Warriors have recently held workouts with
The search to fill their vacant 14th roster spot continues for the Golden State Warriors, with reports the franchise has recently held workouts with seven free agents according to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto on Wednesday.
The crop of free agents includes former Warriors Juan Toscano Anderson, Kent Bazemore and Dewayne Dedmon, young shooting-guard Jaylen Nowell, former top 10 pick Stanley Johnson, and long-time NBA veterans Derrick Favors and Will Barton.
Ranking seven free agents who’ve recently held workouts with the Golden State Warriors.
Each of the seven players brings a different element to the table, so let’s evaluate who may be most valuable to the Warrior roster as we prepare for opening night tip-off in less than six weeks.
7. Kent Bazemore
Although Bazemore has the bonus of having played with the Warriors in the past, the franchise hardly skipped a beat when he departed for the Los Angeles Lakers in the 2021 offseason. He proved a poor pickup for the Lakers in 39 rather forgettable games, and has yet to earn another opportunity in the league since.
6. Jaylen Nowell
Nowell is probably the most talented player of the seven and certainly has the most upside. The issue is Golden State simply don’t need another guard, even if the 24-year-old has the potential of replacing some of the scoring power lost by the departure of Jordan Poole. Nowell deserves an opportunity somewhere, it’s just unlikely to be with the Warriors.
5. Will Barton
A solid three-and-D wing with a plethora of NBA experience. At 32 years of age Barton may still have something left in the tank, but you’d think the Warriors might be happy with Moses Moody filling a similar type of role off the bench.
4. Stanley Johnson
Although he stands at 6’6″, Johnson plays primarily at power-forward and would likely see stretches at the five within the Warrior system. He’s athletic and can finish around the rim, while his jumpshot is still a work in progress despite shooting 45% in his 30 games with the San Antonio Spurs last season. His skillset is a little redundant with Jonathan Kuminga on the roster who holds much higher upside, plus at 27-years-old, Johnson isn’t likely to add much in the way of veteran leadership.
3. Dewayne Dedmon
A seven-footer with some interior defensive presence and the ability to shoot from beyond the arc? In theory that sounds like what the Warriors need. In reality Dedmon is 34-years-old and just recorded the worst plus-minus of his career in 2022-23.
2. Derrick Favors
At 32-years-old, Favors’ place out of the league last season came as a surprise to many who still believe he has a role to play in the NBA. While his numbers in 2021-22 weren’t great, they do have to come with a grain of salt given he was on a young and rebuilding Oklahoma City Thunder team. Before that the 6’9″ big man was a solid backup for the Utah Jazz in 2020-21, averaging 5.4 points (63.8% shooting), 5.5 rebounds and 1.0 block in 15.3 minutes per game.
Next. Golden State Warriors urged to make decisive decision on Jonathan Kuminga. dark
1. Juan Toscano-Anderson
‘JTA’ may not be the most talented player on this list, but in terms of cultural fit at the franchise, he shades everyone else by a fairly wide margin. When considering it’s the last roster spot, that’s a super important factor. With Toscano-Anderson it’s less about the on-court numbers and more about the off-court intangibles that could prove extremely beneficial.