The Golden State Warriors will have an arduous offseason, one that just got that much more complicated in the wake of the season-altering injuries to Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson. The Dubs could look at Reggie Bullock and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope as options for wing depth in free agency, before delving into the five-and-dime shopping after likely doling out a max-level deal for Thompson.
Doing so will greatly handicap the Warriors' spending power, even if Durant leaves in the summer, and even if the organization renounces DeMarcus Cousins and Jonas Jerebko.
Covering up for two missing All-Star talents is no easy task, but the Warriors must find a way to bolster their wing depth, hoping a free agent doesn't get the money he had in mind and opts for a chance to play with Golden State:
“They’re going to have to wait and see what shakes out with all the teams that have room, especially with wings at a premium as teams are sizing down,” a Western Conference executive told Jordan Brenner of The Athletic. “Most of the (better) wings have the potential to go a little bit above the mid-level.”
Bullock and Caldwell-Pope fit the mold of a 3-and-D type of player who can play at shooting guard or small forward, bringing 3-point shooting and versatility to a lineup that will only include Stephen Curry and Draymond Green as stars.
The likes of Rudy Gay, Trevor Ariza and Marcus Morris could make sense, but only if they haven't been snatched by teams offering more than the $5.7 million mid-level exception the Warriors could offer.
DeMarre Carroll and Jeff Green fit the mold of what the Warriors could be looking for at the small forward position, with both players capable power forwards should coach Steve Kerr choose to run smaller lineups through stretches.
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