The NBA free agency period began June 30. Ninety days later, the Golden State Warriors finally announced some moves.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on a number of agreements the Warriors reached with free agents, though it doesn’t appear that any player has put ink to paper yet. That’s because the Warriors are still waiting on what restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga decides to do, whether it’s accept one of the Warriors’ contract proposals or sign the one-year qualifying offer for $7.9M. Kuminga’s deadline to accept the qualifying offer is Wednesday, Oct. 1.
Warriors’ planned moves weren’t a surprise
While the moves were only announced Sunday, the identity of the players the Warriors planned to add had been an open secret. The first was center Al Horford, formerly of the Boston Celtics, who is going to sign a multi-year deal with the team. The veteran Horford fits the Warriors’ desire to add a “stretch five” — a center who can shoot from three-point range — to pair with their limited outside shooters at forward, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler.
The 39-year-old Horford shot 36.3 percent on 5.2 three-pointers per game last season, and has made 37.7 percent of his threes for his career. With second-year center Quinten Post (40.3 percent on threes) backing him up, the Warriors can play with a shooting big man for much of the time.
Two familiar faces are coming back to Golden State
The Warriors’ other two signings are defensive-minded guards who were on the roster last season. The first, Gary Payton II, has been on the Warriors since 2021, apart from a brief sojourn with the Portland Trail Blazers. He was a crucial part of their 2022 title team, then returned in 2023 in a trade for center James Wiseman. GPII played 62 games last season, averaging 6.5 points and 0.8 steals in 15 minutes per game.
De’Anthony Melton earned the starting job at shooting guard last season as the Warriors got off to a 7-1 start. But Melton tore his ACL in early November and missed the rest of the season, while the Warriors traded him for Dennis Schroder. The team loved Melton’s combination of three-point shooting, ball handling and defense, so it’s natural that they’d want him back in free agency.
The Warriors also filled out the back half of their roster by signing No. 56 pick Will Richard, a star of Florida’s March Madness-winning team this year, to an NBA contract, and giving their other second-round pick, Australian Alex Toohey, to a two-way deal.
That gives the Warriors 13 players. It’s not clear what Kuminga’s contract will be, but he’s certain to be on the roster this season. If the Warriors do add another player, it’s likely to be Seth Curry, Steph Curry’s younger brother, but they may stay at 14 players to save money.
It took a long time, but like Michael Corleone in “The Godfather,” Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. settled all his business in a single day. Let’s see if he can make Kuminga an offer he can’t refuse.