if you really think about it, their injuries are actually blessing in disguise in terms of free agency for the Warriors to keep this crew together for the long run (which is horrible for the rest of the league). If they didn’t get injured, the chances of that core group staying together is very slim (doesn’t matter win or lose in the finals this year). Although I know teams are still going to try to get KD in this free agency, but I don’t think it’s gonna be as aggressive as if he wasn’t injured. What do you guys think??
There are at least 5 teams willing to offer KD or Klay the max injured or not. They got all summer to rehab and will be ready for the second half of the season
KD is turning 31 in September and tore his Achilles...dude’s about to be looking like a taller 08-09 McGrady with a much better jumper...22-24 ppg on 57-58% TS at best with much worse defense is my guess for him
Definitely not a blessing in disguise. There is almost a 0% chance KD ever gets back to his prior top 3 player (if not top 1) performance. Sure, top 10 or top 20 is still good, but its a meaningful difference. Steph and Dray will be heavily counted on next year. That's "not good". In the upside scenario where Dray actually gets really solid offensively again, that could further hurt the GSW cap wise. The downside scenarios are many - and worst of all further injury. Klay is not going to re-sing with the GSW for anything less than the max. He put it all on the line. He deserves the max from the GSW. They'll give it to him. If KD re-signs with the Warriors, its still for a big number. If he opts in, its still for a big number. If he leaves, he leaves. The GSW have $76 million of committed salary in Steph, Dray and Iggy. They have a couple of other minor contracts in Damian Jones and Jacob Evans, plus cap holds. Those holds include Klay, but if theoretically they released everyone they'd still have holds to get to the minimum roster size, and those holds are maybe $900k each or so. Call that a minimum of another $7-$8 million of cap holds. Call it $85 million of MINIMUM guaranteed contracts for next year. That would give them $24ish million of space. But that's with NOBODY else signed. No Looney, no Bell, no Livingston, etc. Livingston is non-guaranteed by the way if he is waived by 6/30. But in reality, bearing in mind one of Klay or KD will be on the books at $30+, they have no room really. They still have bird rights and can definitely bring back Livingston, Bell, Looney. They have Cousins Non-Bird Rights, which I think means they can resign him over the cap, but only at 120% of his prior salary. He got paid $6.4 million last year... will he be able to at least find one contract worth $7.7 million a year - absolutely. In short, the GSW dynasty isn't over, but absent some amazing injury recovery, it's skipping next year, and thereafter will require some nifty maneuvering by Bob Myers. The situation where it is MAYBE a blessing in disguise. They happily take next year off. Klay rebounds well. KD at least is still a top 20 player and because of the injury decides to stay. Myers otherwise makes shrewd moves. And then they maybe have another run or two in them for 2021/22.
