In the wake of the disappointing end to their postseason run, which saw Golden State take a tumble to the Timberwolves in just five games while Stephen Curry sat out with a pulled hamstring, the Warriors will have to find a way to retool their roster this offseason for next season, with Curry at 37 and fellow leading man Jimmy Butler turning 36 in September.
While the focus is on the frontcourt, one issue that has most certainly swamped the Dubs in the past year has been the inability to stay afloat in non-Curry minutes, without a suitable backup to make up for the 14 minutes or so in which Curry rests.
The Warriors will always have a better offensive rating with Curry than without, but they need to minimize the difference. Last year, for example, with Chris Paul behind Curry, the Warriors were only 2.3 points per 100 possessions better with Curry on the floor than off.
In 2024-25, without a real backup, that number swelled to a 120.4 rating on, and a 108.4 rating off. That a hefty 12.0-point difference, which is just too much.
Jan 4, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy chats before the game against the Memphis Grizzlies at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images
Golden State Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy chats before the game against the Memphis Grizzlies at Chase Center.
Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images
The potential solution could be a point guard from the team the Warriors beat for the 2022 NBA championship--Celtics star Derrick White, a two-time all-defense selection who also averaged a career-high 16.4 points with 4.8 assists and 4.5 rebounds this year. White has been a 38.2% 3-point shooter since he was traded to Boston three years ago.
According to Warriors insider Logan Murdock of The Ringer, the Warriors are considering a deal for White.
"A guy to look at for the Warriors going forward is Derrick White," Murdock said on "The Zach Lowe Show." "A guy like that, and I think that is something the Warriors are looking at right now because Boston is expected in league circles to have some sort of fire sale, or some sort of reset. ... That’s somebody you should look at, somebody who can play defense and kind of settle everyone down."
There are numerous obstacles on a deal like that, though. For one thing, the Celtics would have to put White on the market, which is not their preference. For another thing, assuming that Butler, Curry and Draymond Green are not going to be traded, the Warriors have precious little to offer to match trade salaries, as NBA rules require.
Moses Moody is slated to make $11.5 million, and Buddy Hield will make $9.3 million. Golden State has few tradeable salaries after that. The first year of White's four-year, $118 million deal, starting at $28 million, kicks in next season.
The Warriors will need to make changes, but getting White to the Bay Area is an uphill climb.