The Golden State Warriors made a minor trade at the Feb. 8 deadline. They sent Cory Joseph to the Indiana Pacers in return for a second-round draft pick. They now have two open roster spots. As such, there is an expectation that the front office will be busy in the buyout market, where they could look to add a veteran talent while also converting a two-way contract to round out the rotation.
An important thing to note is the Warriors are a second-apron team. That means they’re limited to signing players who were earning less than the non-taxpayer mid-level exception before being bought out. As such, that would rule out talents such as Spencer Dinwiddie, who was earning $18.8 million before being brought out by the Toronto Raptors.
Nevertheless, there are some valuable talents shaking loose after a flurry of trade moves around the NBA. Here are three potential buyout targets the Warriors could show interest in ahead of the March 1 deadline.
Otto Porter Jr.
Otto Porter Jr. is a known commodity to Warriors fans. He was part of the 2022 championship team. Injuries have hampered his career since leaving Golden State. However, his three-and-D skills and his familiarity with the team’s overall system could entice the front office.
Robin Lopez
Robin Lopez doesn’t fit the Golden State Warriors system. However, he does provide genuine size and some rim protection and rebounding. Adding him on a minimum deal for the remainder of the season to give the roster an additional dimension could make sense.
Cedi Osman
Cedi Osman would give the Warriors another scoring talent on the wings. This season, he’s averaging 37.5% from 3-point range. His presence would give Steve Kerr additional versatility with his wing rotations and provide another scoring punch when the Warriors are struggling to find their rhythm.
