When the NBA free agency doors opened on Sunday, the Warriors had already crossed one big name off their shopping list. Nine-time All-Star Paul George, their clear priority, would not be available.
This was a serious injury for Golden State, one that will drain the remaining seasons of an effective Stephen Curry. If management cannot effect a full recovery, it will be fatal.
George, 34, was the ideal addition to join Curry, 36, and Draymond Green, 34, in trying to make one or two more trips to the NBA Finals. An improved lineup would provide a dramatic improvement. This would have been a core of players who would strive to win now and who would have the opportunity to produce a fitting epilogue to Curry’s remarkable career.
The Warriors would be back in contention. That has been Curry’s goal since the disastrous 2019-20 season, when a broken hand forced him to spend five months watching the Warriors, his team, finish with the worst record in the league.
Victory in the 2022 NBA Finals was a message to the world that the Warriors, despite being the third seed in the Western Conference, had regained their status as a team to be feared. Curry had become the all-time three-point king. He had won the coveted Finals MVP award. And now the Warriors were, once again, legitimate heavyweights.
Curry, perhaps more than anyone, longed for the Warriors to maintain that level of prestige.
They haven’t. They finished sixth in the West in the 2022-23 season and were eliminated from the playoffs by the Los Angeles Lakers in the semifinals. They finished 10th last season before traveling 75 miles by bus to Sacramento for a play-in tournament game and being eliminated in the offseason by the Kings.
George would be the centerpiece of Golden State’s reboot, a 6-foot-4, 220-pound forward in a league where two-way forwards are taking over. The Warriors valued George over Klay Thompson for a number of reasons, the most pertinent being that he’s now a superior player.
Breaking through the back line with the greatest shooters the world has ever seen, the legendary “Splash Brothers,” would be worth it if PG13 came to the bay.
When George opted out of the final season of his contract with the Los Angeles Clippers, he became the No. 1 player on the unrestricted free agent market. He landed with the Philadelphia 76ers, who were so desperate for a two-way forward that they would pay him $212 million over the next four years.
And the Warriors? They have this week and next week and, well, all summer to try to surround Curry with enough talent to make the season last into June.
The failure to land George, an acquisition that had faced several barriers, forced the Warriors to resort to contingencies. They had to lower their sights in order to go in search of an All-Star.
This is a short list of players who are likely to be available with that status. I can think of three, with varying degrees of accessibility. Below is a list of each, in alphabetical order:
Brandon Ingram (New Orleans Pelicans)
The 2020 All-Star is out. He wasn’t a good fit with franchise player Zion Williamson and he’s a worse fit now that Dejounte Murray joins CJ McCollum in the backcourt. Ingram’s biggest asset is that he’s a great scorer, capable of scoring on any play and excelling in the midrange. He’s also a solid point guard.
Ingram’s biggest shortcomings are his lack of consistency, his defense and his availability. Like Golden State’s Andrew Wiggins, he’s a rainbow player — beautiful when seen, but often not. The 6-foot-8, 195-pound forward’s slight frame makes him vulnerable, and physical deficiencies are one reason the 26-year-old has missed at least 20 games in each of the past four seasons.
Ingram has a career 36.2 percent shooting percentage on long throws. He will make $36 million in the final year of his contract and has been a player who leaves his teams wanting more.
Zach LaVine (Chicago Bulls)
The two-time All-Star (2021, 2022) is on the market under a flashing neon sign. He entered the league as a great athlete looking for a game, and he has evolved into an excellent offensive player. His streak of seasons averaging at least 23 points per game ended last season when he finished with 19.5. The 10-year veteran shoots 38.2 percent from deep and is a standout dunker.
LaVine’s biggest problem is that he has never played consistent defense. At 6-foot-4, 200 pounds and with great agility, he has the tools to be a terrific defender, but he applies them only sporadically.
It’s the onerous contract (three years remaining, averaging $46 million each) that has teams following LaVine and wondering if he’s worth it. That’s why the Warriors reportedly turned down an offer.
Lauri Markkanen (Utah Jazz)
Markkanen is a former All-Star (2023) who, at 6’1″ and 230 pounds, is among the top five players in the league. He averaged 23.2 points per game last season on 48 percent shooting from the field, including 39.9 from distance, and 8.2 rebounds. He makes a lot of sense for Golden State.
Naturally, there is a catch. The Warriors would have to deal with Danny Ainge, Utah’s executive director of basketball operations. He’s not keen on giving up Markkanen, but his track record suggests he never considers any player untouchable. He has multiple first-round picks in each of the next five drafts.
Markkanen makes a lot of sense for the Warriors, who have expressed interest. The question is whether they could work out a deal that would convince Ainge to move such a valuable player, who has one year left on his contract, for just $18 million.
George was a Hail Mary and now Curry’s clock is ticking ever stronger. Having fallen back into the NBA pack, the Warriors face a tough uphill battle to get closer to the top. Management faces perhaps its toughest challenge yet.
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