6 Golden State Warriors who are as good as gone this summer

Decision time is quickly approaching for the Golden State Warriors, and these 6 players appear more likely than not to be playing elsewhere.

Chris Paul, Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors
Chris Paul, Klay Thompson, Golden State Warriors | David Berding/GettyImages
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No. 4: Dario Saric

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr loves to have a stretch big in the rotation, and it has generally worked out for the team's success. From Nemanja Bjlelica to Otto Porter Jr., David West to Mareese Speights, and of course Kevin Durant qualified as a sharpshooting 7-footer. Spacing the court not only puts pressure on defenses already trying to stop the Splash Brothers, it allows Draymond Green room to work inside.

Some players adapt to the Warriors' way of doing things, but Saric never was one. Heralded for his chemistry coming into the year with Chris Paul, the two played just around 534 minutes together, about half of Saric's total. In those 534 minutes with Paul he had an on-court net rating of +3.9 per NBA.com; in 554 minutes on the court without Paul he was a -8.3. Without Paul there to prop him up, Saric sputtered and never found the flow of playing alongside Curry and Green.

It's possible that the Warriors go the route of similarity and bring him back on a minimum contract, but if Saric is going to land another payday down the line, he likely needs to be on a team willing to play him more than a handful of minutes every few games. Saric didn't factor in the Warriors' rotation by the end of the season; perhaps he can elsewhere.

Saric did shoot 37.6 percent from deep one season after hitting 39.1 percent, and he got up a robust 6.5 3-point attempts per 36 minutes last season. He is mobile on defense and a willing shooter on offense, and those qualities may make him a buy-low candidate for another team. The Warriors' best paths forward likely involve finding a better option in that stretch-big role, especially if Chris Paul doesn't return to the team.

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