Golden State Warriors: 10 greatest free agent signings ever
By Drew Taylor
Reviewing one of the oldest and most storied franchises in the NBA, we take a look at the Golden State Warriors’ 10 best free agent signings of all-time.
Ahh. Free agency.
Along with the NBA Draft, free agency is the only other way organizations can acquire championship-winning talent.
Each summer, beginning July 1st, each general manager looks to sign the best free agents available.
No matter the class or the year, there are always NBA free agents ready to sign their next deal, eager to ink their next contract.
The majority of free agent signings are small, irrelevant, and go under the radar.
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But some, and only the top few, send the media and the world of sports into a frenzy.
Just two summers ago, in fact, we saw maybe the greatest basketball player of all-time, LeBron James, sign a four-year, $154 million contract with maybe the greatest NBA franchise of all-time, the Los Angeles Lakers.
Though most go unnoticed, some free agent signings change the face of the franchise. In both good and bad ways.
Shaquille O’Neal, for example, signed a seven-year, $120 million contract in 1996 with the Lakers. Paired with another all-time great, Kobe Bryant, Shaq won three straight NBA titles in 2000, 2001, and 2002, losing in 2004. It is safe to say this free agent signing turned out well.
However, some don’t turn out so great. The Memphis Grizzlies, for example, signed Chandler Parsons to a four-year, $94.5 million deal in 2016. Prior to the deal, Parsons was injury-prone, had never been an All-Star, and only averaged 13.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in the 2015-16 season. In the three seasons following the contract, Parsons only averaged 7.1 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game for the Grizzlies as the league’s 15th highest-paid player.
Some work out, and some don’t. Some players fulfill their contracts, while others just sit back, poorly perform, and let the money flow in.
In the organization’s storied history, the Golden State Warriors have had a solid go with free agency. Their main form of talent acquisition, however, has come through the NBA Draft. Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson were all drafted. Chris Mullin, Paul Arizin, and Wilt Chamberlain all were too, to just name a few.
However, we must not look past the signings that contributed to wins, titles, and trophies.
Some players on this list served the role of a sixth man; coming off the bench, they solely provided tough, solid minutes.
Others on this list are some of the greatest Warriors of all-time, if not some of the greatest NBA players of all-time.
Whether they came off the bench or dominated the league in their time with the Warriors, each and every one of these players positively contributed in some sort of way.
Now, we take a look at the Golden State Warriors’ 10 greatest free agent signings of all-time.