The Golden State Warriors will look to make some moves before the start of next season, and they won't stop at the trade deadline. Head coach Steve Kerr said his team will look to bring in another center in free agency, considering the Warriors recently traded Willie Cauley-Stein for a second-round pick.
āI think even if we have both (Kevon Looney and Marquese Chriss) next year, weād probably be looking to sign another center this summer,ā said Kerr, according to Connor Letourneau of The San Francisco Chronicle.
The Warriors were counting on Kevon Looney, who signed a three-year, $15 million deal after playing on one-year deals for the past two seasons, but the big man has been hurt, playing in only 10 games this season. He's dealt with hamstring and abdominal issues, along with a lingering neuropathic condition that has hampered his stay on the court.
āI think itās really important,ā said Kerr. āThis has been a tough season for Loon. Heās been such a key player for us the last couple of years and, obviously, when we signed him last summer, we looked at him as a long-term piece, probably our starting center.
āItās just been a really tough year for him. So, heās worked like crazy to get back, and weāre hoping heās back at some point on this trip. Heās still a really young guy. ā¦ It would be huge for him and for us if he can get back and re-establish his position on the team.ā
Cauley-Stein's departure would clear the way for Chriss to get signed to a full NBA contract. The Warriors have also played Omari Spellman at center (mostly to unclog the power forward position and make minutes for Eric Paschall) but he runs a little small for a true five, despite his strong composition.
Golden State has been looking for a pogo-stick, play-finishing center for quite a while now. They had one in JaVale McGee, they had another in Looney, but failed with Cauley-Stein and are on the lookout for their next.
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