After a two-year hiatus, the Golden State Warriors are back to being contenders for the NBA Finals. They are only three wins away from making the NBA Finals for the sixth time in eight years, taking a 1-0 lead in the Western Conference Finals over the Dallas Mavericks.
Golden State is likely considered the favorite by many people to take home the Larry O’Brien Trophy in a few weeks. The team will savor these last few games together because it very well could be the last time this group of guys takes the court together.
Warriors ownership has never been shy about doling out large amounts of money to the roster. However, there reaches a point that it just isn’t feasible to retain everyone and this offseason could be that breaking point for Golden State.
According to Connor Letourneau of the San Francisco Chronicle, the organization is heading toward an offseason that will include a lot of difficult decisions to be made no matter how things end up going in the playoffs.
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Starting center Kevon Looney is heading into free agency and is expected to sign a deal worth about $6 million annually. Jordan Poole is also eligible for his rookie extension and could land a contract that pays him $100 million over four seasons.
That is an expensive bill for a Golden State Warriors team whose Big 3 of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green combined to go over the salary cap themselves. One way that they can slash some salary is by trading Andrew Wiggins, who is set to hit free agency in 2023. It is hard to envision any scenario in which the Warriors can keep him long-term, especially if he turns in another All-Star-caliber season.
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This offseason, Otto Porter Jr. and Gary Payton II could be the casualties. Both have played integral parts for Golden State throughout the season and have likely priced themselves out of returning.
Porter played this season on a veteran’s minimum and stayed healthy for the first time in three or four seasons. Payton has turned into an excellent defender and glue guy, potentially earning at least part of a team’s mid-level exception. Will the Golden State Warriors be able to match those prices knowing their tax bill is skyrocketing?
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Bob Myers will have to sift through all the options and figure out what is best for the franchise going forward. They would love to retain the entire rotation of a 53-win team but it just doesn’t seem feasible to do.
