The Golden State Warriors had a dynasty that won four championships together. Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson formed one of the greatest trios the league has ever seen, but that era of Warriors basketball is seemingly coming to a close.
The Warriors have been handicapped by the salary cap for years, and it now is seemingly going to result in Thompson leaving in free agency this offseason. A new era for Golden State is inevitable, but the team will want to contend for as long as Curry suits up for the team. That means that the team will be active once the free agent negotiation period begins on June 30 at 6 p.m. ET when it comes to trying to sign the free agents and make the trades to keep their championship dreams alive.
In this article, we are going to predict exactly what Golden State will do during free agency as they retool for the future and gear up for next season.
Klay Thompson leaves in free agency
It will be weird to see Thompson playing for a team that isn't the Warriors next season, but that possibility seems like a done deal at this point. Thompson wants to be well compensated, and there is seemingly not a deal that will work with the Warriors. Now, Golden State is preparing to lose the franchise icon.
Thompson's inevitable departure will hurt the team on a number of fronts. Not only will they be losing one of the best shooters in NBA history, but by breaking up the Splash Brothers, Golden State now has to deal with the repercussions of losing a locker room staple.
The shooting guard has long been a popular figure on Golden State's roster. He went to five All-Star Games with the Warriors en route to winning four championships. He has already been rumored to a number of new teams in free agency, including the Orlando Magic and Golden State Warriors.
Alongside Curry, the Warriors had the greatest shooting backcourt in league history with Thompson. Now, they will be looking for a replacement to play alongside their star point guard.
No trade materializes, and Chris Paul is waived
The Warriors have already been involved in trade talks for a number of players this offseason. Notably, they were in on the Paul George sweepstakes, but Golden State's desire to add the Los Angeles Clippers' star went out the door when George opted out of his contract for next season and became a free agent.
The Warriors reportedly offered the Clippers a number of trades, some of which included the likes of Andrew Wiggins, Moses Moody, and Chris Paul. The latter of those players is still on the trade block for Golden State.
Paul has a $30 million non-guaranteed contract for next season. Although he was solid in a backup point guard role behind Curry last season, the Warriors need the cap relief that would come with Paul playing for a new team next year. They have the option to waive him, but the Warriors would like to get something in return via trade for the veteran.
For that reason, the Warriors moved back the deadline to guarantee Paul's contract to June 30, the first day of free agency. Originally, a decision was going to be needed regarding Paul's contract on June 28.
The Warriors are now pursing a trade that would land Paul in an ideal home and net some return for the 12-time All-Star. Considering a team can simply add him once he is waived without giving up a trade, we predict that a trade won't materialize.
The team doesn't add a star but adds some depth
By waiving Paul and by not retaining Thompson, the Warriors will get significant relief against the cap. However, the departures will force them to look for two replacements in free agency in the backcourt, both of which will have massive shoes to fill.
These replacements likely need to be cheap, though. Malik Beasley and Patrick Beverley are two free agents who make sense, and neither will cost the team very much. Beasley has become one of the league's best three-point shooters, and he is one of a few shooting guards who can actually come close to matching Thompson's shooting success from deep. Beasley shot 41.3% from beyond the arc last year, and he has been hoisting up long balls at one of the highest rates in the league in recent seasons.
Beverley replacing Paul would be comedic, considering the two are bitter rivals, but he is a veteran point guard who can replicate Paul's defense while likely not demanding a contract greater than the league minimum. Golden State would have to wait out Beverley's suspension, but he would bring a winning mentality that would fit perfectly with Draymond Green.
These moves are probably not the ideal moves for Warriors fans, but we think they are the most likely to happen. As nice as a splashy move for a superstar would be, it remains unlikely that Golden State can pull off a jaw-dropping move. Dynasties can't last forever, and while the Warriors will still be a competitive team, they seem destined to take a step back next season.
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