At this point in the offseason, the Golden State Warriors' options to fill out their remaining roster spots are limited.
Golden State has been rumored to be in the market for an additional big man— namely Georges Niang or Kelly Olynyk. But they'll also need to add backcourt depth behind Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, and De'Anthony Melton. At this juncture, Gary Payton II seems like their most likely option.
Although he saw a decline last season in terms of productiveness and efficiency, Payton has proved himself to Steve Kerr as a reliable contributor over the past few seasons. His return wouldn't be unwelcome, but it certainly wouldn't represent a swing on his upside offensively.
If Golden State ultimately does want to take a swing on the market, Brandon Williams could still be a solid addition. It's not the most likely scenario at this point, but it's worth exploring.
Brandon Williams still has some upside to be unlocked as an offensive spark plug off the bench
Even with enhanced opportunties for Payton in the Warriors' stretch of major injuries last season, the veteran guard was somewhat underwhelming. He averaged 12.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.9 assists while shooting just 24.2% from beyond the arc across his final 18 games last season. He's always shown upside as a hustle-minded player, but his potential as a scorer, especially on the perimeter, is limited.
Williams didn't have the most impressive season even with his enhanced opportunities in the Dallas Mavericks' backcourt rotation last season, but the upside as a scorer is there.
Across 66 games, Williams averaged 13 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 3.9 assists while shooting just 23.2% from beyond the arc on high volume. On paper, he doesn't provide much more than Payton does. But as he enters his fifth NBA season, there's still some upside to be unlocked from him as both a perimeter shooter and a downhill threat. He flashed abilities as a secondary creator in Dallas' thinned point guard rotation last season, and he was actually a highly valuable piece for the Mavericks, finishing second in the team in Value over Replacement Player (VORP) and fifth in Box Plus-Minus.
With Payton, the Warriors know what they're getting, and perhaps that's the preferable alternative for Kerr. But if Williams can fit into their existing cap sheet, there's a chance to take a swing on a guard with more room for development in a minimal role.
The Warriors need to figure out their role for LJ Cryer next season
One major consideration for both Payton and Williams is LJ Cryer, who emerged during Summer League as a potential guaranteed-contract candidate for the Warriors in 2026-27.
Although Cryer was limited by an injury during his stint with Golden State last season, he has major upside not only as a perimeter shooter but as a secondary creator in a bench role. Across his eight summer league appearances, Cryer averaged 14 points and shot 41.3% from beyond the arc.
As of now, Cryer is on a two-way deal for 2026-27. But if the Warriors want to add another small guard to their rotation, Cryer is one of the prime candidates.
That doesn't preclude a signing of either Payton or Williams, but there's always world where the Warriors target the frontcourt with their final roster spots as they attempt to compensate for the loss of Quinten Post and the injury to Butler.
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