The Golden State Warriors are still seeking out a lead guard to place behind Stephen Curry in their rotation.
As good as Curry still is at this point in his career, it's something Golden State has long needed. They simply haven't had an option to turn to to help lead the offense when Curry is off the court, and that's led them to maximize his minutes in unnecessary ways. He's going to sign an extension to stay with the Warriors beyond this season, and that's a problem they'll need to solve.
It's not worth re-litigating past trades at this point, and it might be going too far to call the trade that sent Ryan Rollins, Jordan Poole, and Patrick Baldwin Jr. to the Washington Wizards a true mistake given the options the Warriors had available to them at the time. But it's not controversial to say that, after the breakout Rollins had last season with the Milwaukee Bucks, Golden State certainly could benefit from having him back on the roster.
They could get the opportunity to make that move as soon as next offseason. Rollins is currently set to make just $4 million as Milwaukee's lead point guard next to Tyler Herro on their rebuilding roster. With a player option looming next offseason, there's a real chance Rollins looks to try his luck on the open market.
If that's the case, Golden State would have plenty of cap space to at least explore a reunion with the fifth-year guard.
Ryan Rollins could be a bona fide backcourt option if the Brandon Williams signing falls flat
It's important to note that, right now, the Warriors are banking on Brandon Williams to fill that role. He performed well in Kyrie Irving's stead with the Dallas Mavericks last season, averaging 13 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 3.9 assists while shooting 47.2% from the field across 66 games.
As of now, he's on a non-guaranteed contract and will need to compete with Dalen Terry for the Warriors' 15th roster spot. But don't rule him out from being a potentially solid option for this Golden State rotation.
It's also important to note that Rollins didn't look particularly special during his previous stint in Golden State. He struggled to make an offensive impact during his limited rotational opportunities, and it didn't seem like much of a cost when he was included in that Poole trade. He certainly turned things around in Milwaukee last season, though.
Rollins started 67 of his 74 games for the Bucks, averaging 17.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 5.6 assists while shooting 40.6% from beyond the arc on relatively high volume. His role, for now, seems safe within Milwaukee's rotation. But as the Bucks continue their rebuild, they may want to free up more on-ball minutes for first-round selection Brayden Burries and former top prospect Kasparas Jakucionis. A mutual departure next offseason, especially if Rollins is seeking a pay raise, may be in the interest of both parties.
According to Keith Smith at Spotrac, Golden State will have north of $70 million in cap space next offseason if Curry returns at somewhere around $40 million annually instead of a full max deal. Would spending a portion of that on Rollins be a worthy gamble to help shore up Golden State's backcourt?
We'll need to see if Rollins is able to maintain his breakout over the course of this season. But it's certainly an option keep an eye on as 2026-27 unfolds.
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