With the Golden State Warriors' dynasty looking all but done, the team's front office was left with no choice but to take a very pragmatic approach this offseason. President Bob Myers must have had a hunch that Kevin Durant was already on his way out, but nevertheless, the Warriors had to scramble in order to make ends meet once the former back-to-back Finals MVP finally announced his decision to sign with the Brooklyn Nets.
The good thing about the Warriors is they had a contingency plan in place, and they appeared to have executed it to perfection. Losing Klay Thompson for what is looking like a big chunk of the coming season was surely an unforeseen circumstance, but Golden State handled that major hurdle pretty admirably as well.
In came All-Star point guard D'Angelo Russell and former Sacramento Kings big man Willie Cauley-Stein, two rather impressive additions for the Dubs, all things considered. However, these moves — especially Russell's four-year, $117 million max deal –meant Golden State had to make sacrifices elsewhere in order to make room for Russell's huge deal (not to mention Klay Thompson's massive five-year, $190 million max deal).
Long-term servants Andre Iguodala (traded to the Memphis Grizzlies) and Shaun Livingston (waived) were the two major victims of the team's overhaul, and while these were not ideal moves from an emotional standpoint, the Warriors simply had to do what needed to be done.
For his part, the 33-year-old Livingston still seems to have gas left in the tank for one more run. Now that he is a free agent, there are a number of teams in position to consider snagging him off the market. The 6-foot-7 veteran is a three-time NBA champion and can still bring plenty to the table.
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers have had one of the must successful offseasons in the entire league. While the Sixers did lose both Jimmy Butler (sign-and-trade with the Miami Heat) and JJ Redick (signed with the New Orleans Pelicans) during the summer, they more than made up for it by getting Josh Richardson as part of the Butler deal and adding Al Horford via free agency.
As it is, the Sixers already have one of the strongest lineups on paper, and adding Shaun Livingston would just take them over the top. The veteran would be an excellent backup option for starting point guard Ben Simmons, as Livingston's savvy play would work well with the team's second unit.
While they have had their share of memorable playoff runs over the past couple of seasons, Livingston brings a different type of experience to the table. He has been to five straight NBA Finals, and with the Sixers looking to reach the pinnacle of the sport this season, Livingston should be able to provide a lot of value in this respect.
Boston Celtics
With both Kyrie Irving and Terry Rozier now out of the picture, and newly dubbed cornerstone superstar Kemba Walker now heading the pack, the Boston Celtics' new-look backcourt could sure use a guy like Shaun Livingston.
Marcus Smart is the only other experienced point guard behind Walker, and the tenacious combo guard is not exactly the best floor general. Livingston would be a perfect backup behind Kemba, and similar to his potential situation with the Sixers, he could also be asked to perform a mentoring role for the C's. Boston has a lot of up-and-coming guys on their roster who could definitely learn a thing or two from a seasoned veteran like Livingston.
Los Angeles Clippers
Finally, we have the Los Angeles Clippers. This would be an emotional homecoming for Shaun Livingston, who actually started his career in Los Angeles after the Clippers selected him fourth overall in the 2004 NBA Draft. Livingston himself has admitted he would love to finish his career with the Clippers, so in this respect, LA already has the upper hand.
With the signing of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George over the summer, the Clippers are in position to contend for a championship. Livingston would bring plenty of championship experience to the table after his time with the Warriors, and he would act as another veteran mentor on a loaded roster.
***
Wherever he ends up going, it is without question that Shaun Livingston still has a lot to offer as he finishes up his career. Any contender would be lucky to have him to provide spot minutes and veteran leadership from the end of the bench. He should be able to find a new home in the near future.
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