The last time the Golden State Warriors acquired a former$100 million player in free agency, they turned out to be one of the best value signings in franchise history and a pivotal part of a championship team.
Otto Porter Jr. had come off a four-year, $106.5 million contract, yet his significant injury issues and declining production allowed the Warriors to pounce on a one-year $2.4 million deal in the 2021 offseason.
The Golden State Warriors could target one or multiple former $100 million players as veteran options in free agency this offseason
Porter proved a blessing for Golden State, including starting the final three games of the 2022 NBA Finals as they lifted their fourth championship in eight years. Since then, the franchise's free agency acquisitions have been underwhelming outside Donte DiVincenzo last season.
Perhaps the Warriors could go back down the Porter path, targeting former players who were once highly productive key pieces to their former teams. There's significant reasons why former $100 million players are now gettable for near minimum money, with Golden State likely to have no more than the tax payer mid-level exception at their disposal.
Age and a long injury history are usually the huge risks associated with such deals, yet as seen in the case of Porter, there's significant upside as opposed to a player who's largely been a bench piece throughout their career.
With that in mind, let's look at three former $100 million players, who the Warriors could target in free agency. Note: Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James will not be on the list despite the dream that he could sign a cheap deal to join the team that drafts his son Bronny later this month.