Golden State Warriors: A Quietly Successful Offseason

The Golden State Warriors probably aren’t going to make many headlines this summer, but they’ve quietly had one of the most successful offseasons in the NBA. Call it one of the many luxuries of being the champs, but the Dubs haven’t had to add a single new player to the roster via free agency.

So how are the Warriors having such a great summer? It all starts with the re-signing of restricted free agent Draymond Green. For awhile, it seemed like the two sides had reached an impasse when Green reportedly broke off talks with the Dubs. But not long after that, Green announced on Bleacher Report that he and the front office had agreed to a deal — five-years, $82 million.

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Andrew Bogut was long seen as Golden State’s defensive anchor until this past season, when Green’s abilities as a human Swiss Army knife made him the most versatile defender in the NBA and the centerpiece of the league’s stingiest defense. Green would have had my vote for Defensive Player of the Year, and he actually finished with more first place votes than Kawhi Leonard, who won the award despite playing in only 64 games.

However, Green also spread the floor with a semi-respectable three-point shot (33.7 percent on 4.2 attempts per game) and was effective working 4-on-3 mismatches as the roll man when teams double-teamed Stephen Curry out of the pick-and-roll. In the NBA Finals, Green’s ability to play the center position helped save the Dubs from their own nerves and from losing a series to a Cleveland Cavaliers team playing without Kevin Love and Kyrie Irving.

Green might not have been worth such a massive contract on another team, but for the Warriors and their top ranked defense, he was well worth every penny (to be honest, he probably deserved more). And that’s before mentioning that his attitude, confidence and friendship with Curry make him one of the most important and enjoyable teammates in the league.

Re-signing Green was vital to Golden State’s hopes of repeating in 2015-16, especially since the Finals provided us with an extended glimpse of the small-ball direction the league is heading in as the pace-and-space era gains serious traction.

With the San Antonio Spurs upgrading their frontcourt from Tiago Splitter and Aron Baynes to LaMarcus Aldridge and David West, it’s safe to say Green and the versatile Warriors could have their hands full in the playoffs with another team looking to pound them down low in the paint. And that’s before mentioning the possibility of a healthy Oklahoma City Thunder team as well.

In any event, the champs are well-poised to make another run at the title next season, even with the brutal state of the constantly improving West. At age 32, Leandro Barbosa isn’t going to move the needle all that much, but for the sake of continuity and depth, keeping the Brazilian Blur on a one-year, $2.5 million deal was a good move.

The Dubs are currently looking at a major luxury tax bill, but Barbosa’s contract is minimal. What really needs to be dealt with is moving David Lee and his $15 million contract to avoid doling out $50 million in salary and luxury tax payments. However, it’ll be difficult to find a team that both A) wants him and B) can afford his one-year salary.

UPDATE: As first reported by ESPN’s Marc Stein, the Warriors have traded David Lee to the Boston Celtics for Gerald Wallace, whose contract will undoubtedly be stretched over the next three years.

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However, even in a worst-case scenario where the Warriors are unable to shed his massive contract and have to keep him in a limited role off the bench, that wouldn’t be the end of the world for anyone other than owner Joe Lacob. After all, it was Lee’s strong play at the end of Game 3 of the Finals that opened Steve Kerr‘s eyes to how the Dubs needed to play the Cleveland Cavaliers.

But if the Warriors are able to find a team that wants to give this walking double-double a year to contribute, the Warriors will then be able to develop first round pick Kevon Looney, who may wind up being the steal of the draft at No. 30.

Originally projected to be a lottery pick, issues with Looney’s hip injury and possibly degenerative back scared off a lot of teams on draft day. But at age 19, standing at 6’9″ with a 7’4″ wingspan, this wiry power forward has the potential to play multiple positions, perfectly fitting in with Golden State’s roster-wide theme of versatility.

An elite offensive rebounder, Looney’s rawness won’t prevent him from providing second chance opportunities for one of the NBA’s most dangerous offenses, while his ball handling skills make him that much more suitable for a fast break team.

If Looney’s back/hip issues prevent his full potential from ever being realized, the Warriors can afford the blow of taking a chance with their No. 30 pick. But if he can develop into a stretch-four in a winning environment while playing on a team that doesn’t need him to contribute right away, Golden State will be that much deeper and that much more amoebic in nature.

The landscape of the Western Conference becomes more threatening terrain each and every day. The Spurs are bringing pretty much everybody back along with Aldridge and West. The Thunder will be healthy again next year, the Dallas Mavericks improved by adding DeAndre Jordan and Wesley Matthews and the Houston Rockets and Memphis Grizzlies aren’t going anywhere either.

But until they’re unseated in the playoffs next season, the Warriors have done enough this summer to place themselves among the title favorites for the 2015-16 NBA season. They didn’t overhaul the roster like the Spurs or Cleveland Cavaliers, probably their stiffest competition, but for the time being the Dubs are as likely to win the next championship as anyone.

Next: Are The 2014-15 Golden State Warriors An All-Time Great Team?

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