The Golden State Warriors are in a tough spot when it comes to their salary cap. They saw key rotation players Otto Porter Jr. and Gary Payton II depart in NBA free agency this summer, signing with the Toronto Raptors and Portland Trail Blazers, respectively.
While Golden State would have loved to keep both players, it was not fiscally possible. The Warriors are deep into the luxury tax and paying a repeater tax, which means for every dollar they spend it costs multiple times more.
That is what makes the next few days so important. Poole is eligible for his rookie extension as he is entering his fourth season in the NBA. However, he isn’t the only player that is eligible for one, as Draymond Green is as well.
One of the talents the Warriors will not allow to leave is Poole. The team is finalizing a four-year, $140 million contract extension, per ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
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Figuring out things with them is important, but they also need to keep an eye on the future, as Andrew Wiggins is set to be an unrestricted free agent in 2023 as well. All three players are going to command lucrative contracts, but it sounds as if Poole has been the team’s main priority right now. Anthony Slate of The Athletic discussed the topic when making an appearance on the HoopsHype Podcast.
“I don’t think it’s as likely as Poole. With their public messaging, they’ve made it clear their top priority has been Poole. I think that’s sat over the Draymond situation too. Draymond came out on Media Day and said he doesn’t think he’s getting an extension done despite the fact we’ve known he’s wanted one. Meanwhile, Bob Myers is saying they were meeting with Poole’s reps.”
Wiggins was integral to the team winning the Larry O’Brien Trophy in June. He provided lockdown defense and consistent scoring behind Stephen Curry as arguably the team’s most consistent performer. He also made his first career All-Star team last season, which improves his value even more.
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However, their earnings do play a part in how the Warriors are prioritizing them. Wiggins has cemented his status as a near-max player given his performance last season, which could price him out of Golden State’s range.
“Wiggins is kind of in the middle of that. If he was willing to take what would be a team-friendly extension. He’s sitting around $33 million this season. I think if he was willing to take a slight pay cut and go into the 20s, then I think the Warriors would talk. Remember, every million to them is eight or nine million dollars with how deep into the repeater tax they are. With how well Wiggins played on a big stage, where he proved he can be a winning component on both ends of the floor. He’s got to think his value is near his max if he’s heading into the market.”
Wiggins testing the market would not be a surprise. There are plenty of teams with projected cap space that would likely be willing to offer him a near-max contract as he fits the prototype of what teams are looking to build their roster around on the wing.
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Avoiding having to pay a max salary is also the motivation in looking to get a deal done with Poole. Some teams would certainly offer him a max contract as a restricted free agent, forcing Golden State’s hands. Looking to save as much money as possible against the tax, it makes sense that Poole has been made the priority.
