The NBA draft is now in the rearview mirror and the real games of the offseason are about to begin.
Free agency officially kicks off 3 p.m. Friday, but the rumor mill is already churning. Draymond Green will be the Warriors top priority in free agency, but there are other decisions general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. will have to make to round out the roster in the coming weeks.
Golden State has eight players under contract for next season and are expected to sign its two 2023 draftees, Brandin Podziemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis, at some point soon. That will leave them with five open slots, though it’s more realistically four since Dunleavy said he doesn’t plan to fill the 15th roster spot for financial reasons.
With that in mind, here’s a look at the current state of the Warriors’ roster and each player’s contract situation heading into free agency:
Players under contract
Stephen Curry, 35 years old: Largely believed to be the only untouchable player on the Warriors roster this offseason, Curry isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. He’s signed with Golden State through 2026 after he inked a four-year $215 million extension that he signed in August 2021. That deal, which made him the first NBA player to sign multiple $200 million deals all but ensured Curry will be a Warrior for life. Curry is still at the top of his game as he prepares for his 15th NBA season.
Klay Thompson, 33: Thompson is set to make $43 million — second to only Curry among the Warriors’ next season — in what will be the final year of his five-year, $190 million contract that he signed shortly after tearing his ACL in the 2019 NBA Finals. Thompson is extension eligible as he nears a critical part of his career, where he’s being challenged to evolve his game to do more than just score.
Andrew Wiggins, 28: After both being pivotal pieces in a championship run in 2022, Wiggins and Jordan Poole inked extensions on the same day last October, but only Wiggins remains after the latter was dealt to the Washington Wizards on draft day. Wiggins’ four-year extension, worth up to $109 million, will kick in for this season. He’s the only veteran signed through 2027, though the final year of the deal is a player option.
Chris Paul, 38: The Warriors traded Poole, Patrick Baldwin Jr. and Ryan Rollins for Paul last week. The deal, which opened up another roster spot, can’t be finalized until July 6, which is when Poole’s extension begins. Paul’s current deal is also more team friendly than Poole’s. Paul is slated to earn $30.8 million this season, though that figure is only partially guaranteed. His $30 million salary for the 2024-25 season is non-guaranteed.
Gary Payton II, 30: The Warriors didn’t want to lose Payton last offseason in free agency, but the defensive menace earned a $26 million pay raise that Golden State couldn’t match. With their defense floundering, though, the Warriors orchestrated a trade that brought Payton back to the Bay. That move hit a snag when Payton’s physical was flagged as he continued to deal with pain stemming from a surgery he had on a core muscle injury. Payton played through pain during the playoffs, but the summer should give him plenty of time to rehab and strengthen his core. He has two years remaining on his deal.
Kevon Looney, 27: After entering 2022 free agency as the Warriors’ top priority, Looney returned to Golden State, signing a three-year, $15.5 million deal. He was once again a mainstay in coach Steve Kerr’s rotation last season, playing in all 82 regular-season games. The Warriors’ iron man will be under contract for at least two more seasons.
Jonathan Kuminga, 20: Drafted No. 7 in 2021, Kuminga made strides in his second NBA season, especially on the defensive end, but the 20-year-old rising star’s frustration about his playing time bubbled to the surface at several points last season. The Warriors will have to decide whether to exercise his $7.6 million fourth-year option for the 2024-25 season by Oct. 31.
Moses Moody, 21: Moody, who was drafted just seven spots behind Kuminga in 2021, was another player who didn’t take the leap the Warriors had hoped for in his sophomore campaign. Still, Golden State’s brass remains high on 3-and-D player, who, like Kuminga, has a club option for next season remaining on his four-year rookie deal.
2023 draftees
Brandin Podziemski, 20: How big of an impact Podziemski will have as a rookie remains unclear, but the No. 19 pick is determined to prove he belongs in the NBA. When he signs his rookie deal, he’ll be under contract through 2026-27, including club options for the final two years of that deal.
Trayce Jackson-Davis, 23: After being drafted No. 57 overall, the former Indiana forward isn’t guaranteed a spot on the 15-man roster. But Dunleavy previously said he plans to give Jackson-Davis a spot. He’ll likely sign a four-year deal, with only the first two seasons guaranteed.
Free agents
Draymond Green, 33: Green is going to decline his $27.6 million player option for next season, which will make him an unrestricted free agent. NBA Insider Marc Spears reported that Green is seeking a three-year, $100 million contract. While several Western Conference teams have been linked to Green in recent days, as the free agency rumor mill starts to churn, the Warriors remain confident that Green will return for his 12th NBA season. If he doesn’t then the Warriors will struggle to contend for another title.
Donte DiVincenzo, 26: After having a career resurgence last season, DiVincenzo will also be declining his player option on the two-year deal he signed with the Warriors last July. It’s unclear how much DiVincenzo might command on the free-agent market, but it will surely be more than $5.4 million, which is the most Golden State can pay him, according to Spotrac. Besides, the addition of Paul diminished the need for DiVincenzo, who was the primary ball handler off the bench.
Andre Iguodala, 39: After winning his fourth ring, Iguodala decided to put retirement off for another year, re-signing on a veteran minimum last fall for his 19th NBA season. At the time, he said the 2022-23 season would be his last. Injuries limited him to only eight games. And while he hasn’t officially declared he was done, it seems more likely than not that Iguodala played his final NBA game.
JaMychal Green, 33: Green signed a veteran minimum contract to play with the Warriors last season, with the hope that he could take on a similar role as Otto Porter Jr. during the 2022 run. Green shot 37.8% from 3, which is slightly above his career average. But he could probably find more playing time elsewhere.
Anthony Lamb, 25: The Warriors converted Lamb’s two-way deal to a standard NBA contract in March after he jumped Kuminga in Kerr’s rotation and stepped up during Wiggins’ two lengthy absences. He wasn’t playable in the playoffs and spent most of the postseason watching from the bench. The Warriors aren’t planning to hand Lamb a qualifying offer, The Athletic report. That would make him an unrestricted free agent, free to sign with whomever.
Ty Jerome, 25: Jerome was the Warriors’ two-way player last season and earned the coaching staff’s trust by making smart decisions with the ball. His game fits the Warriors’ system well, but Lamb was signed to the 15th roster spot because the team needed frontcourt depth. Jerome is nearing his fifth NBA season and is no longer eligible for a two-way deal. Though the Warriors reportedly won’t extend him a qualifying offer, Golden State hasn’t ruled out the possibility of bringing him back for another season.
Lester Quinones, 22: Quinones joined the Warriors on a two-way deal after he went undrafted last June. He was waived in October, but lit up the G League with the Santa Cruz last season and earned himself another two-way deal by the end of the season. The Warriors remain high on the former Memphis star, who played alongside James Wiseman. He seems like a frontrunner to sign one of the Warriors’ two-way contracts for this season and will play on their summer league squad.
