As the Golden State Warriors look to add veteran center Al Horford this offseason, it remains to be seen whether they will also make a move to add another veteran at the position to counteract their unfortunate loss of Kevon Looney in free agency.
Yet, despite rumors that veteran Thomas Bryant might have been nearing a deal with Panathinaikos surfacing about a month ago, nothing remains confirmed as of yet, and the Indiana Pacers, by not bringing Bryant back, may have gifted the Warriors their perfect replacement for Looney.
Last season, with both the Miami Heat and the Indiana Pacers, Bryant still showed flashes of being a viable NBA center, and, if Golden State decides against trusting Trayce Jackson-Davis to earn rotation minutes, a move for Bryant could still be in the cards.
Thomas Bryant could still be a sneaky add for the Warriors
Through 66 games between Miami and Indiana last season, Bryant averaged 6.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 0.8 assists on just 14.6 minutes per night. Despite his largely pedestrian numbers, Bryant re-emerged as a reliable option in the Pacers' playoff rotation, scoring 11 points in their series-clinching win in the Eastern Conference Finals over the New York Knicks and even getting minutes in the NBA Finals.
Yet, despite their losing Myles Turner in free agency, Indiana has apparently decided not to bring Bryant back, signing both Jay Huff and James Wiseman to contracts this offseason.
Bryant, as one of the only viable centers still available on the market, will likely find an NBA team before the start of the season. Although there was a report from European basketball outlet Telesport that Bryant was reaching a deal to play in Greece in late July, there has been no news on that front since that time, leaving the possibility open of him being among the Warriors' late-offseason acquisitions.
Although Looney, who signed a two-year, $16 million contract with the New Orleans Pelicans this offseason, was no longer a scoring force or a significant minutes-eater for Golden State, he still presented a veteran skill-set and a deep understanding of the team's system to head coach Steve Kerr.
While Trayce Jackson-Davis, with his developing game and offensive dynamism, could give the team an interesting wrinkle in their rotation, it is possible that they could opt for a surer presence on the end of their bench depending on how the rest of their negotiations with their free agent targets play out. If this is the case, Bryant could be the perfect option to take over Looney's role next season.