The LeBron James sweepstakes have concluded. On Friday morning, the NBA’s all-time scoring leader and 22-time All-Star announced that his next — and almost certainly last — chapter will take place on the East Coast, where he’ll team with Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown, V.J. Edgecombe, and the Philadelphia 76ers.
It’s no secret that the Golden State Warriors were holding out hope that James would join his close friend (Draymond Green), a superstar he reveres (Steph Curry), and a coach he deeply
respects (Steve Kerr). It never seemed like a very likely option, but it was one worth chasing. In the end, however, he chose elsewhere, leaving the Warriors scrambling to fill out their roster.
In the time between James announcing his plans to leave the Los Angeles Lakers and choosing a new team, the vast majority of the league’s free agents signed elsewhere, leaving limited options for the Dubs. They have to add at least one more player (in addition to re-signing Green, who opted out to provide the team extra fiscal flexibility as they chased James).
So who might that be? Here are some of the best options.
DeMar DeRozan
My guess is that, with James off the board, DeRozan has moved to the top of the board for the Warriors. On the one hand, he’s not a great fit with Golden State: he doesn’t shoot threes, he’s not exactly known for his ball movement, he’s not the biggest fan of defense, and he’s firmly and loudly on the opposite side as Curry in the Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar beef (DeRozan, I should add, is on the right side).
On the other hand, he might be just what the Warriors need, especially with Jimmy Butler III out. DeRozan is still a certified bucket getter. Even in a down year last season, he still averaged 18.4 points per game and shot nearly 50% from the field. He’s exactly what the Warriors need when Curry is on the bench or taking a night off: the type of player you can give the ball to, clear out, and ask him to go get a bucket. He has the aggressive mentality that has helped Butler shine on the Warriors, and draws free throws at a high rate.
For all their flaws last year, the Warriors biggest issue was simply that they didn’t have enough people who can get a bucket. DeRozan, who will be affordable after being bought out by the Sacramento Kings, can help fix that.
Bradley Beal
As a pure basketball player, Beal fits better than DeRozan. While also an isolation scorer, his style is catered to what the Warriors do more than DDR’s. He’s a career 37.6% shooter from deep, including 40.7% in his last two healthy seasons. But he’s a worse fit on the Warriors for the simple reason that he’s even less interested in defense than DeRozan, and has played 202 games over the last five seasons, compared to 383 for DeRozan. If the Warriors are going to stick with older veterans, they’d be smart to go for durable ones, and DeRozan is a remarkably durable player. But if he’s off the board, Beal has a lot of skills that would fit.
Lonzo Ball
The Warriors were tied to Ball at the buyout deadline last year, before ultimately going in a different direction. I’ll say this much: they can’t just get Ball. He’s one of the most injury-prone players in the NBA: he played 35 games last year, 35 games the year before, and 35 games three years prior, with two missed seasons in between. 105 games over five years is not what an aging and injure Warriors team needs.
They can’t rely on Ball, but they sure can take a flyer on him. Ball’s favorite things are moving the rock quickly, and playing defense. And despite the ugly aesthetics of it, his three-point shot is fairly reliable. Is it any surprise that Kerr wants him on his team?
Chris Boucher
Reunion, anyone? Boucher began his career on the Warriors, logging exactly one minute in the 2017-18 championship season. He then went on to have a very successful career with the Toronto Raptors, which included beating the Warriors in the NBA Finals the next year.
Things changed this year, as he signed with the Boston Celtics, struggled with performance and injuries, played just nine games, was traded to the Utah Jazz, and was waived. But just two years ago he averaged 21.0 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks per 36 minutes, and he plays solid defense. He’s the type of big man who could play alongside any of Golden State’s frontcourt players.
Amir Coffey
Want a flyer? Here’s your guy. Coffey has been pretty darn bad for a few years, but he’s a career 38.2% shooter from deep with good size and athleticism. The Warriors could use more large wings while they await the return of Butler and Moses Moody. Here’s one … he just needs work.
Kevin Love
Sorry, are Al Horford and Kristaps Porziņģis not filling your need for aging, often-injured, floor-stretching bigs? Then how about Love? Somehow he’s still playing, and somehow he’s also still playing well. He shot 37.3% on threes last year and grabbed 12.6 rebounds per 36 minutes. He can still throw a mean outlet pass, and is a great playmaker from the elbow, which the Warriors really utilized when Andrew Bogut was around. Plus, between he and Horford, it’s basically like having one healthy, reliable player!
Bennedict Mathurin
Mathurin doesn’t have the resumé or consistency of DeRozan or Beal, but the dude can get on a heater and score. He’s not the best shooter, but he can get to the rim, he draws free throws, and he’s a reliable 15 points every night. The Warriors need that in some form and fashion, especially until Butler returns. Golden State would be a great landing spot for Mathurin, where he could rebuild his value a little bit before entering free agency again next year.
Gary Payton II
Look, getting the entire band back together isn’t the best idea, but Payton does fit well in the Warriors system. He’s an elite perimeter defender, can bother forwards, rebounds like someone a foot taller than he is, and is a tremendous off-ball cutter. The Warriors need to make some improvements, but Payton is better than a lot of the players on this list.
Mario Hezonja
The Dubs have been tied to Hezonja, who hasn’t played in the NBA since 2019-20. He’s been playing overseas since then, and has been phenomenal for Real Madrid, with a whole lot of hardware being handed out in his direction. How will that translate back to the NBA? We may soon find out.
Jonathan Kuminga
Just making sure you’re paying attention.
