Now that Kevin Durant has opted out of his contract with the Golden State Warriors, there is only one choice left for him to make. If he decides to leave, the Warriors could start to aggressively target potential cogs to fill their roster with, including the recently traded Jae Crowder and Kyle Korver.
Nate Duncan suggested on his offseason mock podcast (h/t Anthony Slater of The Athletic) that the Warriors could look to move Shaun Livingston's expiring contract to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for Crowder, who was acquired along with Korver and draft pick compensation in return for franchise star Mike Conley.
While Duncan suggested Crowder, a viable 3-and-D presence who could help restore balance in a Warriors starting lineup missing two important cogs in Klay Thompson and Durant, Korver is another potential option the Warriors could look at.
Livingston might be at the end of the road when it comes to his career, but he still has $7.7 million left on his original three-year, $23.7 million deal, which he signed in 2017. $2 million is guaranteed until June 30.
The Grizzlies, who are mostly trying to rebuild their team at low cost under young pieces, could trade Crowder's $7.8 million expiring contract to the Warriors, a similar proposition of doing so with Korver's $7.5 million.
If the Warriors had their pick, a 29-year-old Crowder looks a lot more appealing than a 38-year-old Korver who most recently weighed retirement, soon stating he could see himself playing another year or two.
Both options fill the need of a wing shooter who can help Stephen Curry and Draymond Green through the course of the 2019-20 season.
Crowder is the most complete player due to his two-way abilities, but Korver is one of the few players in the league who can match the marksmanship of Thompson from beyond the arc, and one who would greatly benefit from the Warriors' motion-style offense.
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