The Golden State Warriors are going to need a bit more help. As presently constructed they are giving way too many minutes to players like Gui Santos and Pat Spencer.
They need to make some moves on the free agent or buyout market in order to add depth to their depleted roster. One strategy they could implement is looking at players who have already had time in the Warriors system. Here are a few Warriors free agent options that would bring old friends back to the bay.
4 Free agents Warriors could reunite with
Here are a few free agent options that would bring old friends back to the bay, perhaps giving Golden State an on-court boost but also an off-court one in the locker room given previous chemistry.
Justin Holiday
It’s been a while since Justin Holiday wore a Warrior jersey. He played one season with the Dubs in 2014-15, grabbing himself a championship ring in the process. He only played 11.1 minutes a game, but was a solid bench contributor in the Warriors first Finals run. Since then he has played on nine different NBA teams and has solidified himself as a solid veteran bench player in the league.
He played 58 games last season for the Nuggets averaging about 15 minutes a game and shooting over 40% from three. The Warriors could use his length and defense on the wing and his improved 3-point shooting, but for now he remains an NBA free agent who's playing in the Euro-League.
Lester Quinones
Lester Quinones had two seasons with the Warriors as a deep bench player before joining the Philadelphia 76ers on a two-way contract just prior to this season. He's since been waived and is now free agent that Golden State could consider.
Quinones only played 41 games for the Warriors over two seasons but showed flashes of offensive potential. The young guard shot 36.4% from three last season with the Dubs and is obviously well-versed in the current Warriors plays and system, meaning that bringing him back would be a fairly seamless fit.
Patrick Baldwin Jr./James Wiseman
We will group these two together as they are both recent Warriors draft picks who already find themselves without a spot on an NBA roster. In reality, neither of these guys are going to help Golden State this season.
James Wiseman is out with a torn Achilles and Patrick Baldwin Jr. could barely get on the floor on a tanking Washington Wizards team. They do present an interesting opportunity for a fun redemption story though.
Baldwin Jr. is a more realistic option because he is actually healthy, is eligible for a two-way contract, and could provide some size and shooting as a deep-bench player on the Warriors. He shot over 50% from three this season in 22 games for the Wizards, before being moved before the trade deadline and ultimately waived by the San Antonio Spurs. The Warriors never got to see fully what he could become in their system, and he is now available again after they dealt him to the Washington Wizards in the Jordan Poole-Chris Paul trade in 2023.