3 buyout candidates for the Golden State Warriors to target

3 buyout candidates for the Golden State Warriors to target – Robin Lopez

The shortage of point guards on the Golden State Warriors’ roster isn’t the only element making their depth chart not so pretty. The team is also light at center, again, not a major concern given the small-ball NBA and how successful the team has been traditionally without one.

Furthermore, Golden State, the team playing without a stifling rim protector and tenacious rebounder has the #number-one ranked defense in the league, illustrating their strong play stems from forcing turnovers and limiting second chance opportunities.

While Kevon Looney has been productive as a starter and the small-ball lineup has been dangerous, there’s more than enough reason to be skeptical about the team’s center depth come playoff time.

Backup Nemanja Bjelica isn’t really a rim protector and plays most of his minutes on the perimeter, Juan Toscano-Anderson has great verticality but the build of a wing, and the obvious solution, James Wiseman, hasn’t played a game all season because of a knee issue.

Then there’s Draymond Green, who Steve Kerr loves putting in at the five in order to force opponents to play small. But even he’s currently out with a back problem and hasn’t played into late-May in three years.

The group has proven they can win games lighting it up and shutting it down, but what happens in the playoffs when the shooters get cold or when the interior players on the other team get hot?

In the past, they’ve been saved by the steadiness of David West and Festus Ezeli, and relieved by the shot-blocking prowess of Jordan Bell and Javale McGee. The team just doesn’t have that type of length behind Kevon Looney, and it becomes problematic when evaluating the best in the West.

The first option that comes to mind is Robin Lopez, who is going through the motions on his fourth team in as many seasons. Staying on the East coast with the Orlando Magic, the veteran has been similar to Joseph as a backup center, providing stability and safe buckets on a young and inefficient team. Occasionally, he starts and stands tall against the best, and he still improves morale with his humor and toughness.

Orlando (13-46) needed some reassurances in the paint with their starting frontcourt battling injuries, but now that tandem is holding it down and the team has some good options on the bench.

The Magic are pedaling through another miserable season in their rebuild, and they have every reason to give way to their younger frontcourt players. Lopez, approaching 34, keeps leaving teams too early like the first-place Bulls and the defending-champion Bucks, so this would be a perfect time to fight for his first title.

If he does end up being bought out, he’d quickly catch the attention of contenders, and it makes sense for him to return home to California. The Warriors would add that experienced center for the bench they’re missing, one with an outstanding hook shot and one unafraid to contest big men.

At seven feet tall and 280 lbs., Lopez provides the strength to play in the Warriors’ defensive scheme and the presence to drive attention away from shooters.

This pairing would make the Warriors’ depth in the playoffs more complete and would earn Lopez (7.7 points, 3.6 rebounds per game, 57.1 percent from the field) an opportunity to add to the family trophy case, potentially facing off against his brother in the Finals.