Just like Sacramento, before the Kings signed Terry Taylor to a 10-day contract, Golden State has a decision to make soon. The Warriors still have a couple of days to decide and can sign two players. Given their position, they also have many options, including giving Kevin Knox a deal for the rest of the season.
According to Luke Adams of Hooprumors, Golden State has had less than 14 players on standard contracts since they decided to let Knox go after his second 10-day deal expired. Adams added that the Warriors fell below the player minimum in the blockbuster trade for Jimmy Butler. Therefore, the Warriors will exhaust their 28-day period of being below 14 players on March 23.
Golden State (41-29) is playing its best basketball of the season and has climbed to the sixth spot in the West. It’s not entirely surprising that the Warriors’ good play has coincided with Butler’s acquisition.
Golden State improved to 16-4 after the All-Star break with their 117-114 home win over Toronto. Butler, who achieved his second triple-double with the Warriors, led the Dubs with 16 points, 11 rebounds, and 12 assists, his season high. Of course, Butler had plenty of help, including 44 points from the bench. The Dubs are now 16-2 with Butler in the lineup.
It wasn’t all good news as Stephen Curry exited the game in the third quarter with a pelvic injury after a hard foul. Curry finished with 17 points on just eight shots in 25 minutes, extending his streak of double-digit scoring to 40 games.
Speaking to reporters after last night’s game, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said that Curry would undergo an MRI for his pelvic injury. He added that Curry wanted to return to the game, but the Warriors wanted to be cautious and keep him out for tests. The Warriors are 5-3 in the eight games Curry has missed this year.
And here come the results. Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN reported that the MRI confirmed that the guard suffered a pelvic contusion and no structural damage this afternoon. “Curry will miss the start of the Warriors’ six-game road trip, beginning in Atlanta on Saturday, while receiving treatment over the next few days,” Youngmisuk added. There is optimism that Curry will feel better with treatment in the upcoming days. He will be reevaluated on Monday.
Gary Payton II is also dealing with an injury. While not considered serious, Payton sat out Thursday night with knee discomfort. The good news is that the Warriors’ strength lies in the backcourt. The Warriors have the fifth-best backcourt in the NBA as they are very deep, with eight players capable of playing one or two positions. Butler has solidified the wing for the Dubs. But the forward and center positions remain uncertain.
Jonathan Kuminga is still working on his comeback after missing over two months. Although Draymond Green and Kuminga are the two best offensive weapons for the Warriors, young players Gui Santos and Quenton Post have been getting a lot of spotlight lately. Kevon Looney remains an important part of the Warriors’ rotation, though he has recently been more of a situational role player.
Warriors’ Options to Add to the Roster
Therefore, Golden State is likely to seek to add at least one more frontline player in the coming days. But, as mentioned before, the Warriors can sign two players for the rest of the season. Will they? It’s probable, as NBA two-way players are eligible for the postseason.
Golden State is currently $1.6 million from being hard-capped in the NBA’s tax apron. Therefore, the Warriors can sign two players for the rest of the season or one player for the ROS and save more money by signing a player to a 10-day contract. No player the Warriors sign as a free agent is eligible for the playoffs. So, it might benefit the Warriors to elevate one of their two-way players, even though they won’t be able to replace him.
Golden State has some options. The Warriors are familiar with Knox, Damian Jones, and Yuri Collins. Bismack Biyombo also makes sense. Knox is a veteran athletic forward who can score and rebound. He is currently a free agent, although the 25-year-old spent 20 days with the Warriors and played in seven games.
Knox was fairly productive in his short stint, putting up four points and 1.6 rebounds while shooting 45.8% from the field, 27.3% from three, and 75% from the charity stripe. In his longest stretch, Knox scored 12 points on 4-of-7 shooting and grabbed five rebounds in 14 minutes of action. He has over 300 games of NBA experience and boasts several 30-point outings and six double-doubles.
Jackson Rowe, Taran Armstrong, and Braxton Key are players currently on two-way contracts with the Warriors. Rowe, Key, and Armstrong are still in the developmental phase of their careers. However, Key, at 26, has played 34 games in the NBA and is the most likely to reach an agreement if the Warriors feel they need an extra body for the postseason.
