On the heels of an offseason that saw the dynastic trio dismantled via free agency, ESPN figures the Golden State Warriors in a bright spot.
Although Klay Thompson left for the Dallas Mavericks after 13 seasons, in which four featured championships, Golden State’s general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. bounced back with solid free agency moves.
Chief of the 2024 offseason acquisitions was the six-team sign-and-trade acquisition that netted the Warriors the best three-point shooter from the past five years.
Golden State acquired Buddy Hield from the Philadelphia 76ers, whereas the Eastern Conference championship hopefuls acquired a 2031 second-round draft pick.
Hield recorded more three-point shots than Damian Lillard and Stephen Curry in the last five years. Noting such an impressive stat, Hield and Curry’s three-point shooting will wreak havoc on opposing defenses for the 2024-25 season.
Like Thompson, Hield has no problem moving off-ball for three-point looks. Hield recorded 41 percent on catch-and-shoot three-point shots last season.
Curry attracts more defenders than anyone Hield played with in his eight NBA seasons. Despite the lack of star status and defensive skill, Hield’s three-point shooting will make up for the void left by Thompson’s departure.
Aside from three-point shooting, the Warriors’ sign-and-trade maneuver for quality role player Kyle Anderson also comes into the picture as one of the better value pickups of the 2024 free agency.
According to Synergy Sports, Anderson ranks in the 79 percentile for guarding the pick-and-roll ball handler. Furthermore, Anderson’s physical defense gave superstars like Luka Doncic a fair share of frustration.
Although the Warriors aren’t currently championship contenders, they have the assets to obtain an All-Star. Reports indicate the Warriors are aggressors in trade talks for Utah Jazz’s Lauri Markkanen. Despite Dunleavy and Joe Lacob telling anyone who will listen, they won’t trade Brandin Podziemski and Jonathan Kuminga.
Even if the Warriors don’t acquire Markkanen, the NBA’s star talent always finds itself on the trade market. Play ball with Mike Dunleavy in Lauri Markkanen trade talks.
ESPN issued the Warriors a B+ for their creative offseason, as the Golden State front office acquired multiple players in sign-and-trade deals.
