5 former Warriors who would’ve turned Golden State into contenders this season

4. Justin Holiday

Is a veteran wing enough to propel the Warriors? It is a fair question. Holiday would be behind Klay Thompson, Jonathan Kuminga, and Andrew Wiggins for playing time. Moses Moody is not in their rotation, and the 21-year-old is a better player than Holiday, but that may not matter. Remember, head coach Steve Kerr was barely playing Kuminga early in the season as he rode with his vets.

Having a trusted 6’6 wing coming off the bench who was part of a Warriors’ championship team in 2015 may have made a difference. Kerr might have been more inclined to pull Wiggins during his early season struggles or shift the lineups a bit larger when the situation called for it.

Justin Holiday is averaging just 4.0 points, 1.3 rebounds, and 1.1 assists in 14.8 minutes per game for the Nuggets this season. They have a 2.8 net rating with him on the floor, and he is barely below the league-average player by win shares per 48 minutes.

With Stephen Curry and Draymond Green on the floor, the Warriors just need quality pieces to round out their roster. Justin Holiday could have played a key role off the bench as a floor spacer and versatile defender. He took a minimum contract with the Nuggets to chase a championship, and the Dubs may have been able to land him last summer.