Grading the Warriors' Off-Season Moves
The Warriors have had a busy off-season thus far. They drafted two players in the lottery, then got right to work in free agency. Even though they haven’t been flashy, the moves they have made thus far were gaudy enough to catch the attention of Las Vegas bettors, as they currently have the fourth-best pre-season odds to win the 2022 NBA championship, behind the Brooklyn Nets, LA Lakers, and Milwaukee Bucks.
The main question that the Warriors’ front office needed to answer during this offseason was this: can they do enough to maximize their current championship window with Steph, Klay, and Draymond, while simultaneously building for the future? Let’s take a closer look.
1. Drafting Jonathan Kuminga
There were an endless amount of rumors surrounding the Warriors’ lottery picks this year. Analysts and fans alike expected the Warriors’ front office to trade the picks to make a splash for an elite player like Bradley Beal, but that simply didn’t happen. So, long story short, the Warriors wound up drafting Jonathan Kuminga with the seventh pick in the NBA draft.
Jonathan Kuminga is an exceptional athlete who is going to give the Dubs a healthy dose of size, defense and play-making ability off the bench. He was initially projected to go in the top five of the first round. However, he dropped to number 7, and the Warriors’ front office snapped him up, as they felt he was too good to pass on.
Kuminga is a 6' 8", 220-pound forward with elite athleticism, defensive potential, shot creation and playmaking prowess. He played great in the summer league, and he even had Draymond’s blessing: “He texted me after the third, fourth picks and said ‘Kuminga,’” said Warriors’ GM, Bob Myers.
Kuminga’s talent is still quite raw, which is not the most ideal scenario for a team trying to win a championship within at least the next two years. Kuminga has the potential to be a star, but he also has the potential to not pan out the way the Warriors want due to his lack of experience. Even so, being only 18 years old, he’s shown signs that he can be an excellent contributor and maybe even act as a small-ball center for the Dubs at times.
Grade: B
2. Drafting Moses Moody
The Warriors drafted Moses Moody with the 14th pick in the NBA draft. Moody was one of the best ‘3-and-D’ wings in the draft, and, like Kuminga, he was projected to go higher in the draft than he did. Many draft analysts actually had Moody landing with the Warriors as their seventh pick, so the Warriors were happy to snatch him up when he fell to them at pick 14.
Moody shot over 35% from three-point range in college and is a plus-defender, which both fill gaps in the Warriors roster. With Klay Thompson out until at least Christmas, Moody could even serve as a starter in some games if he keeps his shooting efficiency up and shows good IQ on both sides of the ball. He could have a Kent Bazemore-esque role, as he was a good corner three-point shooter in the summer league.
Again, like Kuminga, Moody is still a decently raw prospect at only 19 years old; however, Moody is one of the most NBA-ready prospects in this year’s rookie class, so I expect him to be a consistent contributor throughout the season. He played excellently in the summer league, as he averaged over 15 points per game on good efficiency. Overall, the Warriors couldn’t have made a better pick at 14.
Grade: B+
3. Waiving Alen Smailagić
Alen Smailagić was a project for the Warriors’ organization from the beginning, and he’s, unfortunately, a project that didn’t work out. When the Warriors traded for the 39th pick in the 2019 NBA draft, they thought they were drafting the second coming of Nikola Jokić when they drafted Smailagić. Sadly, they were wrong.
Even though Smiley was the youngest player to ever play in the NBA G League (17 years old), he never panned out, and the Warriors will have to take it as a lesson to be learned.
Thankfully, Smailagić’s roster spot—a spot that he occupied for two full years—was opened up, and the Warriors were able to make some good moves in free agency. It’s true that Smailagić could eventually become the player the Warriors’ thought he could be, but it’s obvious that he won’t become that anytime soon.
Grade: A
4. Signing Nemanja Bjeliça
Bjeliça was the Warriors’ first free agency signing, and they signed him for the minimum.
This was an excellent signing by the Warriors’ front office, as Bjeliça is an elite three-point shooter and gives the Warriors’ bench some further scoring potential—and at a bargain, at that.
He is a career 38.7% three-point shooter, and when he had a full healthy season, he averaged nearly 42% from beyond the arc. He did so on 3+ attempts a game, and also made 76% of his free throws.
Bjeliça isn’t the youngest or the spriest of athletes, but the Warriors were missing veteran leadership and a floor-stretching big man off the bench last year, and this addition supplies the Warriors with both things. Expect to see Bjeliça firing away alongside Jordan Poole as the Warriors’ starters are resting.
Grade: A
5. Extending Stephen Curry’s Contract
Next on the Warriors’ free agency to-do list was to sign Stephen Curry to a long-term extension. They did just that, as they inked him to a four-year, $215 million deal. With this deal, Curry became the first player in NBA history to sign two $200+ million deals in his career.
There isn’t much to say about this move, as it was a no-brainer for the franchise. Curry will go down as the greatest Golden State Warrior to ever lace them up, and having him at home in the Bay for another four years is excellent news for the Warriors’ fans, front office, and the rest of the NBA.
Grade: A+
6. Signing Otto Porter Jr.
Another excellent off-season move from the Warriors’ front office this summer. Porter Jr. is another NBA vet that was signed for the veteran’s minimum, which is another bargain signing. He gives the Warriors everything they need off the bench: shooting, defense, rebounding, and high-IQ play.
Porter Jr. only played 28 games last season with the Bulls and Magic, but the 6’ 8” forward cites that he is healthy and ready to contribute. "The culture first and foremost (is what attracted me to the Warriors). Their way of winning. Their style of play...I just want to play. I want to give this team my all. I'm at a stage in my career where starting doesn't matter,” said Porter Jr. in a recent interview.
Porter Jr. has consistently shot a fantastic 40% from the three-point line over the course of the year, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him start in Klay Thompson’s place for the majority of the season, given that he stays healthy. When Thompson is ready to play and start, though, Porter Jr. will serve alongside Jordan Poole as an ideal sixth-man.
Grade: A
7. Signing Andre Iguodala
We’re all aware of how instrumental Andre Iguodala was in the prime of the Warriors’ Finals runs. Iguodala was the 2015 Finals MVP, and played an extremely important role in the Warriors’ continued playoff and Finals dominance.
Even though Iguodala is now 37 years old and fresh off two years with the Miami Heat, he can still contribute in many ways for the Warriors, despite his older age. Iguodala will serve to be an excellent mentor to the Warriors’ young core in Kuminga, Moody, Poole, and Wiseman while being able to maximize the Curry, Green, Thompson trio due to his experience with the Warriors’ system.
Also, even though the Warriors don’t have a true backup point guard, Iguodala has played in a ball-handling role in the past and could continue to do so effectively this year. The only concern is Iguodala’s age and fitness level, but due to his sky-high IQ and familiarity with the Warriors’ organization, I don’t foresee that to be a hindrance to the team’s success. Plus, the mid-level exception is still in play with his signing.
Grade: A
8. Signing Chris Chiozza to a Two-Way Contract
This is an underrated move in my opinion. Given the previous signings, the Warriors bench already looks very solid, with the potential second unit being Jordan Poole, Andre Iguodala, Otto Porter Jr., Nemanja Bjelica and Juan Toscano-Anderson. However, they were still without a backup “point guard,” and Steve Kerr always likes having a “true point guard” on the team.
Chiozza fits that description, and he’s an excellent two-way signing. Chiozza has three years of NBA experience under his belt and he’s a very strong and careful playmaker, with career averages of 8.2 assists to just 2.6 turnovers per 36 minutes. Plus, the advanced metrics loved him both last year and the year before, and in 2019-20 he played for now-Warriors assistant coach Kenny Atkinson, who was head coach of the Brooklyn Nets at the time.
Overall, it’s a risk-free signing that gives the Warriors a lot of flexibility and could end up paying off in a big way.
Grade: A+
Takeaway
In my opinion, the Warriors’ front office has had just about as good of an off-season as a contending team can have given the heavy luxury tax that they are under. They added good veteran presence, drafted young talent with lots of potential, locked up their once-in-a-generation star, accepted failed experiments and gave themselves more flexibility without adding heavy financial loads. Plus, their coaching hires in Kenny Atkinson, Jama Mahelela and Dejan Milojević set the team up to do a good job developing young talent—something that they haven’t done great at in the past.
Bob Myers, Joe Lacob and company came through, and I’m glad. Plus, they still have the mid-level exception to work with, should a proven NBA vet be looking for a change of scenery around the trade deadline.
Overall Off-season Grade: A