3. Donte DiVincenzo
Alleviating concerns regarding his injury history, Donte DiVincenzo proved one of Golden State’s best and most consistent performers last season. As a result, it was no surprise when he joined the New York Knicks this offseason on a four-year, $46.9 million contract the Warriors simply couldn’t match.
DiVincenzo’s ability to impact the game in a multitude of ways was what made him truly valuable for the Warriors in 2022-23. He’s a dangerous catch-and-shoot threat, someone capable of putting the ball on the floor and making plays, is an excellent rebounder for his size, and without Andrew Wiggins for the majority of the season, was largely the team’s primary perimeter defender.
The 26-year-old guard averaged 9.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists across 72 games with the Warriors, shooting the ball at a very effective 39.7% from three-point range on over five attempts per game.
Golden State would have known they were going to be unable to keep DiVincenzo from a long way out, and there’s no doubt that had some impact in re-acquiring fan-favorite Gary Payton II at February’s trade deadline.
But just because Payton’s back fully healthy ahead of 2023-24, it doesn’t mean they won’t miss what DiVincenzo provided them last season. The fact is that the new Knickerbocker is a much more versatile offensive player, making him a more valuable asset than Payton overall.
With Payton and Moses Moody also developing, losing DiVincenzo should hardly be a disaster for the Warriors. However, there will certainly be times this season where fans are wishing that he were still with the franchise.