Exploring two buyout candidates that could help spark the Golden State Warriors.
The defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors have not had the season that they, or their fans, expected. The team has dealt with several key injuries (most notably to Steph Curry and Andrew Wiggins), several of their younger players have not taken the steps forward that the team had hoped, and the squad currently sits in the play-in territory with a 29-29 record at the all-star break.
Even the team’s move to help with some of these issues at the NBA Trade Deadline was not easy, as Golden State almost called off their acquisition of Gary Payton II due to injury issues that popped up in Payton’s physical.
Even after allowing the trade to go through, the absence of Payton will create more questions. It feels like the Warriors need a bit of a spark (and some improved depth) at the moment, and the buyout market can provide that.
The Golden State Warriors could use some re-enforcements via the buyout market
I believe that two names stand above the rest on the buyout market when it comes to who the Warriors should pursue: Patrick Beverley and Stanley Johnson. While these aren’t the biggest names on the market (one that consists of guys like John Wall and (potentially) eventually Russell Westbrook), Beverley and Johnson are the two I believe will fit the Warriors’ style of play and what they need the best.
It’s also worth noting that I felt Kevin Love (who is reportedly signing with the Heat) would have been a solid fit, but it appears that he was always headed to South Beach following his departure from Cleveland.
Now to the two players whom the Warriors should go after.