Like Sacramento, before the Kings inked Terry Taylor to a 10-day contract, Golden State has a forthcoming roster decision to make. 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 rest-of-the-season deal.
According to Luke Adams of Hooprumors, Golden State has been carrying fewer than 14 players on a standard contract since they chose to let Knox go after his second 10-day deal expired. Adams added that the Warriors dropped 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 moved up to sixth place in the West. Not totally surprising, the Warriors strong play has coincided with the acquisition of Butler.
Golden State improved to 16-4 post-all-star break with its 117-114 home win over Toronto. Butler, who posted his second triple-double with the Warriors, led the way for the Dubs with 16 points, 11 rebounds, and a season-high 12 dimes. Granted, Butler got a lot of help, including 44 from the bench. The Dubs are now 16-2 with Butler in the lineup.
Golden State Warriors Has 2 Open Roster Spots, Will Stephen Curry’s Injury Change the Dubs Direction?
It wasn’t all good news, as Stephen Curry left the game in the third quarter with a pelvic injury after taking a hard foul. Curry finished with 17 points on just eight shots in 25 minutes. He has now scored in double-figures in 40 consecutive games.
Speaking to reporters following last night’s game, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said that Curry was getting an MRI on his pelvic/tailbone injury. He added that Curry wanted to come back in the game, but the Warriors wanted to be cautious and shut him down for testing. The Warriors are 5-3 in Curry’s eight absences this year.
Stephen Curry’s Availability
And the results are in. ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk reported that the MRI confirmed the point guard suffered a pelvic contusion and no structural damage earlier this afternoon.
“Curry will miss the start of the Warriors’ six-game road trip, which starts in Atlanta on Saturday, as he receives treatment over the next few days,” Youngmisuk added. There is optimism that Curry will feel better with treatment in the coming 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 soreness.
The good news is that the Warriors’ strength is in the backcourt. The Warriors have the fifth-best backcourt in the NBA, as they are very deep, with eight players capable of playing either one or two.
Butler has solidified the wing for the Dubs. But, power forward and center remain a question mark.
Jonathan Kuminga is still working his way back after missing two-plus months. While Draymond Green and Kuminga are the Warriors two best frontcourt players, youngsters Gui Santos and Quenton Post have gotten a lot of run lately. Kevon Looney is still an important part of the Warriors rotation, though he has been more of a situational role player lately.
So, Golden State will likely look to add at least another frontcourt player in the upcoming days. But as stated above, the Warriors will be able to sign two players to a rest of the season contract. Will they? It is likely, as NBA two-way players are eligible for the postseason.
Golden State is currently $1.6 million from being hard-capped at the NBA’s first tax apron. So, the Warriors can sign two players to rest-of-season deals or one player to ROS and save more money by inking a player to a 10-day deal. No player that the Warriors sign as a free agent is eligible for the playoffs. So, it may behoove the Warriors to promote one of their two-way players, though they won’t be able to replace them.
Options For Warriors Two Roster Spots?
Golden State does have some options. The Warriors are familiar with Knox, Damian Jones, and Yuri Collins. Bismack Biyombo also makes some sense.
Knox is a veteran athletic forward who can score and rebound. He is currently a free agent, though the 25-year-old spent 20 days with the Warriors and appeared in seven games.
Knox was quite productive in his short stint, producing four points and 1.6 rebounds while shooting 45.8/27.3/75. In his longest stint, Knox tallied 12 points on 4 of 7 shooting and hauled down five boards in 14 minutes of action. He has over 300 games of NBA experience and has a few 30-point games and six double-doubles.
Jackson Rowe, Taran Armstrong, and Braxton Key are players currently on a two-way deal with the Warriors. Rowe, Key, and Armstrong are still in the developmental stages of their careers. However, the 26-year-old Key has 34 career NBA Appearances and is the most logical of the players on a two-way deal to earn a deal if the Warriors felt they needed an extra body for the postseason.
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