The Golden State Warriors have not made any moves so far in this NBA offseason—that is, unless you count their continuing negotiations with young wing Jonathan Kuminga. The two sides—the Warriors and Kuminga—haven’t reached a deal, obviously, and it appears it’s holding up the Dubs’ offseason plans, if they do have one.
Well, it turns out the Warriors front office does have a plan and will soon start filling out the Golden State roster with veterans. As of press time, the Dubs have six roster spots open, and according to NBA insider Marc Stein, those spots are reserved for Kuminga, Al Horford, De’Anthony Melton, Gary Payton II, second-round pick Will Richard, and Seth Curry.
Al Horford: A Natural Fit for Warriors
Horford has been linked to Golden State for quite some time now, and if he does go to The Bay, the fit would surely be seamless. Granted, the veteran big man is already 39, but he was still productive last season, putting up 9.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 60 games for the Boston Celtics and 8.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.8 blocks in 11 postseason stints.
With his court sense and veteran smarts, Horford would have no problem playing with Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler. Offensively, he’d give the Warriors an added fulcrum to run the offense, playing on the high post and playing off of Butler and Curry. Defensively, he’d provide an interior presence on defense alongside Green. He’d also be an upgrade over Kevon Looney, who for years was the Warriors’ only true big.
De’Anthony Melton and Gary Payton II: Added Guard Depth for Dubs
Payton and Melton should be familiar to Warriors fans. A nine-year veteran, Payton was a key member of the Warriors’ 2022 title run, providing energy, hustle, and lockdown defense off the bench. He has also been with Golden State the past two seasons, averaging 6.0 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 0.8 steals per game.
Melton, on the other hand, signed with the Warriors and was putting up 10.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.8 assists before going down with a season-ending ACL tear in mid-November. Golden State then traded Melton, along with Reece Beekman and three second-round picks, to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Dennis Schröder. Now, it appears a reunion with the Dubs is in the offing for the veteran guard.
Seth Curry: Sweet-Shooting Bros Headed for Team Up
The younger Curry, a 43.3% career shooter from downtown, looks headed for a reunion with older brother Steph at Golden State. In this case, the Curry brothers will finally get to play together officially and give the Warriors two of the most accurate and prolific three-point shooters in the NBA. Last season, playing for the woeful Charlotte Hornets, Seth made 83 triples in 68 games—or a little over one made per game—on a league-best 45.6% shooting. Steph, on the other hand, drilled 311 in 70 outings on 39.7% shooting.
The Curry brothers previously played together for Golden State in the 2013 preseason. Seth, however, was waived just before the start of the 2013–14 season, keeping the two from playing together in an official NBA game. Now, it looks like that will finally happen.
Are These Moves Enough?
That’s certainly a flurry of planned moves for the Warriors with the opening of training camp just days away. The Horford signing fills a need, and bringing back Payton gives the Dubs a lockdown defender. Melton’s health, however, is a big question mark, and Seth Curry might not necessarily be the kind of needle-mover Golden State needs to be a true contender.
But at the very least, the Warriors are planning to make moves after staying quiet most of the offseason and focusing largely on contract talks with Kuminga. Whether or not these planned moves can move Golden State into title contention is another matter altogether.
