Golden State Warriors: Setting expectations for pending free agents

Ian Clark

Along with JaVale McGee, who we’ll discuss later, Ian Clark’s free agency will be an interesting test case. If teams believe that his improved numbers this past season was the result of internal growth, he could command a team’s full Mid-Level Exception ($8.4 million). If teams view his scoring efficiency as nothing more than the result of playing with Curry, Durant and Klay Thompson, he’s a better candidate for the Bi-Annual Exception ($3.3 million).

Either extreme would be a misevaluation. Clark is a gifted off-ball player, capable not only of catching and shooting (62.3 effective field goal percentage, 41.5 three-point percentage on catch-and-shoots) but also attacking closeouts with an impressive pump-fake-to-floater game.

He’s also a heady cutter, anticipating his man helping and sneaking under the basket. He was 33 for 49 after receiving a pass in the paint, an extremely strong figure for a player who doesn’t dunk (Curry was 35 for 56 on such plays).

Of course, it is impossible to separate those numbers from how opponents are forced to play Clark due to the Warriors’ surrounding talent and next-level scheme. Clark is more valuable than most shooting specialists due to his three-level scoring, but teams are likely to err on the side of caution due to him being a 26-year-old who shot 36.9 percent from the field in two NBA seasons before coming to Golden State.

Unless Clark takes a massive pay cut, he will not be a Warrior next season. Clark’s market value lies closer to that MLE figure, though it will depend on if he’s more interested in years or dollars.

Projection:  Three years, $12 million (or two years, $10 million)