The Golden State Warriors must start looking ahead towards the offseason. With Stephen Curry possibly sidelined through the Play-In Tournament and the urgency on fielding a championship-caliber roster reaching a boiling point, it's the painful reality of where this season has left them.
In Curry and Jimmy Butler's absences, the Warriors have thankfully gotten a better look at some of their rotational talent. A number of players have gotten opportunities they may never have gotten otherwise. Gui Santos, for example, has taken massive offensive strides over the past couple of months. The team inked him to a three-year, $15 extension as a result.
Pat Spencer, meanwhile, has also taken some positive steps. Although his performance hasn't been as exciting as Santos', there's reason to believe he can be a valuable member of the Warriors' rotation moving forward.
But even as the season wears on and his opportunities continue to ramp up, the consistent production just hasn't been there for Spencer. As he approaches restricted free agency yet again this offseason, Golden State has another impossible choice to make regarding his next contract.
The Warriors have no room for error in their rotation next season
Spencer's time with the Warriors has been interesting, to say the least. After appearing in just six games in 2023-24, he's forced his way into the rotation over the past two seasons, largely due to injuries.
He's had his electrifying moments, such as his ejection in Game 5 of the Warriors' first-round series against the Houston Rockets last season. But he's also had his fair share of issues that have kept him from being a known quantity for Golden State.
Even in smaller sample size, these poles can be clearly identified. Since March 1, Spencer is averaging nine points, 2.4 rebounds, and 3.1 assists while shooting 32.6% from beyond the arc. He's received a somewhat steady diet of around 20 minutes per game in that span.
Over the past month, he has five double-digit scoring performances. He also has four performances in that span where he's scored six or fewer points,
It's difficult to tell what you'll get from Spencer on a nightly basis. But heading into 2026-27, Golden State needs certainty (and availability) above all else. Curry and Butler both have one season remaining under contract. If the Warriors want to have any shot at championship contention, they will need to use every roster spot wisely.
With Spencer's conversion to a standard NBA contract on Feb. 9, he now has back-to-back seasons where he's played well enough on a two-way to earn a guaranteed deal over the remainder of the campaign. But, notably, the Warriors have declined to extend those deals beyond the end of the season.
How long can Golden State keep a 29-year-old guard in that sort of limbo?
Conversely, one can argue that Spencer has not shown enough consistency throughout his career to be rewarded with that type of commitment from an organization in desperate need of certifiable rotational pieces.
Last offseason, the Warriors let Spencer enter unrestricted free agency before ultimately bringing him back. They have left themselves in a position where they will need to deal with the same scenario again this offseason, only with the stakes raised even higher.