The Golden State Warriors, at least nominally, still have two roster spots to play with between now and the start of the season.
So far, their only external addition has been Yaxel Lendeborg with the 11th overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft. Outside of that, they've brought back Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, Gary Payton II, De'Anthony Melton, and Charles Bassey to fill out their open roster spots.
There's also been rumors of their interest in Dalen Terry on a training camp deal, which would allow him to compete for either the 14th or 15th roster spot. His appearance at a WNBA game with members of Golden State seemed to confirm those suspicions.
But nothing is set in stone on that end, and with the departures of Klay Thompson and DeMar DeRozan from the market over the weekend, the remaining options for the Warriors only continue to get slimmer. Although their greatest need likely lies in the frontcourt, therefore, they need to take a long look at former Dallas Mavericks guard Brandon Williams before the offseason comes to an end.
Brandon Williams isn't an ideal addition with GPII already back in the fold— but what other choices do the Warriors have?
As mentioned above, Golden State's most likely path at this point is to either add Georges Niang or Kelly Olynyk in their 14th roster spot, giving the frontcourt some much needed depth before the start of the season. Niang hasn't played in the NBA since 2024-25, but there's likely still some juice there as a rebounder and combo forward. If Golden State wants extra minutes at the center position, though, Olynyk could be their best bet.
Let's set that debate to the side for the moment.
If the Warriors truly want to add some juice to their backcourt behind Melton, Brandin Podziemski, and Payton, is Terry their best bet? He averaged just 3.7 points and shot 43.9% from the field in his stints with the Chicago Bulls and Philadelphia 76ers last season.
Although there's likely some upside to be unlocked there with an elevated workload, there's a reason the Warriors are looking at him on a training camp deal. There needs to be competition for his spot.
LJ Cryer, who majorly impressed in Summer League as a floor-spacer and even a tenacious on-ball defender for his height, will provide some of that. But adding someone like Williams, who has experience as a lead ball-handler and a high-volume playmaker, may be the smart move.
Williams stepped up in the absence of Kyrie Irving last season for the Mavericks, starting 15 of his 66 games with the organization and averaging 13 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 3.9 assists while shooting 47.2% from the floor. His 3-point shot—which he knocked down at a rate of just 23.2% last season—is less than inspiring. But he was able to post a turnover-to-assist ratio of nearly 2.0, and he was a valuable minutes-eater for a Dallas team that desperately needed his skill set.
There's some overlap there with Payton, who presents a similar playmaking skill set with the same deficits as a floor spacer. And if Terry's signing is already set in stone, perhaps it doesn't make sense to add another backcourt piece. Williams might not even be willing to accept anything less than a guaranteed deal even at this point in the offseason.
But based on pure need alone, Williams is someone Golden State should be taking a long look at before the final dominoes fall this offseason.
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