2017 NBA free agency grades: Golden State Warriors land Omri Casspi
Omri Casspi will join the Golden State Warriors on a one-year deal. Casspi is a proven shooter and should fit in immediately.
The Golden State Warriors have agreed to a one-year deal with Omri Casspi for the veteran’s minimum salary.
On Tuesday, while folks were preparing for Fourth of July fireworks, ESPN‘s Adrian Wojnarowski reported the deal and Tim Bontemps confirmed the deal and its terms.
Casspi is the latest veteran to take a discount for a chance to play with a championship-caliber team. If he performs well this year, Casspi could parlay that momentum into a larger contract elsewhere.
Omri Casspi gives the Golden State Warriors yet another perimeter shooting threat. His height and scoring ability bolsters the already deep Warrior bench. The fact that the Warriors were able to agree with Casspi for a one-year minimum deal is a victory for them in free agency. The short-term nature of the deal guarantees future flexibility for Golden State. The Warriors now have a clearer picture of their lineup and also their spending budget for remaining free agents.
The main question surrounding Casspi is his health and ability to remain in the active lineup. If Casspi is able to remain healthy, he will be a reliable second unit player, although he does have experience as a starter throughout his career. In fact, he has started in 27 percent of his regular season appearances. This will benefit the Warriors later in the season when resting players becomes more important. Casspi will have no problem spot-starting or playing a heavy dose of minutes on any given night.
Golden State Warriors
In a positive sign for the Warriors, Omri Casspi’s best statistical year came as a backup for the Sacramento Kings in 2016. That year Casspi reached career highs in points, rebounds, and three-point percentage. A combination of injuries and playing for three different teams derailed Casspi’s 2017 season. Despite the disappointment of last year, Casspi has an opportunity to get his career back on track with the reigning world champions.
Casspi will add wing depth and three-point shooting ability to the second unit. He has a solid midrange jumper and is capable of driving to the basket and finishing with a dunk. Casspi does need to work on limiting his turnovers and also creating more assists. Playing with the best group of talent in his career, and possibly ever assembled, will certainly help Casspi in those areas.
Defensively, Casspi is able to use his size to help rebound the basketball. Despite his tall frame, he does not accumulate many blocks or steals at his position. However, he does have good length and wingspan that combine to shorten the court for the offense. Omri Casspi may not be an outstanding defender, but he will not be a major liability for the Warriors.
At 28 years old, Casspi is considered a veteran but theoretically still has a chance to polish his game and eventually earn a larger contract. Playing well for the Warriors in 2018 and showing that he can adapt to a winning culture will ensure that Casspi will command a higher salary next year in free agency. He will be motivated and willing to accept whatever role is necessary for the Warriors this coming season.
Next: 2017 NBA free agency tracker - Grades for every deal so far
The Golden State Warriors needed to sign a player who could help stretch the floor with their second unit. They were able to acquire Omri Casspi at a tremendous bargain relative to his potential contributions. They also gained more financial flexibility to sign other free agents and added talent to their roster. Overall, this was an excellent free agency signing by the Warriors.
Grade: A+