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The Golden State Warriors are amid a period of uncertainty with superstar Stephen Curry still recovering from a hamstring injury and the front office still looking for pieces to soup up the roster.
While it's quite feasible that Curry will return in full health for next season, it remains to be seen how the said setback, which he suffered for the first time, would affect his performance, at least in the Warriors' first few weeks.
Golden State hasn't made a splash in free agency yet. But by the looks of it, the team's biggest priority, pun unintended, should be finding a big man. There's a tinge of irony to it, as Warriors coach Steve Kerr is notorious for his continued adherence to small ball.
The exit of fan favorite Kevon Looney, who signed with the New Orleans Pelicans, only compounded the Warriors' woes at the center position. While Trayce Jackson-Davis and Quentin Post are serviceable, the squad needs more well-rounded talent.
The Warriors should sign a center in free agency
The easy choice here would be free agent veteran Al Horford. He's already being rumored to join the Warriors this offseason after moving on from the Boston Celtics. Last season, at 38 years old, Horford averaged 9.0 points and 6.2 rebounds in 27.7 minutes per outing.
He would be a perfect fit for the Warriors on both ends. A pair of Horford and Draymond Green on defense would make life difficult for opposing big men. Horford is a smart and seasoned player who could immediately pick up the team's system. He can also stretch the floor, which is a big plus for Kerr.
The obvious downside, of course, is Horford's age. He would only make a team with a core of Curry, Green, and Jimmy Butler feel even older. Last season, the Warriors were the second-oldest team in the NBA behind the Phoenix Suns with an average age of 28.2.
Other options for the Warriors
If they can't land Horford, the Warriors could also target Bol Bol. He spent the last two seasons with the Phoenix Suns, but his full potential remains untapped due to limited minutes.
While Bol is a downgrade from Horford, he has the tools to produce numbers on both ends, especially as a rim protector. He's long, athletic, and mobile. He can also shoot from the outside and has shown glimpses of good passing. If he finds consistent playing time with the Warriors, he could be a huge pickup. It's also worth noting that he's just 25 years old.
When he was inserted into the starting lineup last season, Bol showed that he can keep up, even scoring a pair of 20-point games and tallying a double-double of 18 points and 14 rebounds in that stretch. The experiment, however, didn't last long as he only started 10 games.
If they miss out on Horford and Bol, another option (arguably the best one) would be to acquire Chicago Bulls star Nikola Vucevic. After all, he's been linked to rumors involving the Warriors in the past.
While he's not a free agent, the Bay Area should be more aggressive in trying to get the two-time All-Star. Vucevic averaged 18.5 points on a career-high 53.0% shooting last season. He also shot 40.2% from beyond the arc—the second highest of his career—and tallied 10.1 rebounds and 3.5 assists.
While he's not exactly young at 34 years old, he's still more agile and athletic than Horford and way more polished than Bol.
The Warriors could offer the Bulls a package headlined by forward Jonathan Kuminga in exchange for Vucevic, who is set to earn $21.4 million this season. It could be a win-win situation, as Kuminga and Vucevic haven't really panned out for Golden State and Chicago, respectively.
Golden State has found success even without a prolific center (Looney, Andrew Bogut, JaVale McGee, Zaza Pachulia, Jordan Bell, etc.) over the years, which only proves how great Curry is. Still, with the Western Conference proving to be as competitive as ever, Dub Nation might want to seek an upgrade in the pivot.
