The Warriors continue to work out free agent guards, according to Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated, who reports (via Twitter) that Avery Bradley and Quinn Cook are among the veterans getting a look from the team this week.
Isaiah Thomas, whose workout with the team was reported last Thursday, will also be among the players auditioning for Golden State this week, and Spears says (via Twitter) the Warriors’ interest in Thomas is “sincere.” Spears adds that the sessions this week will include 5-on-5 games, with other free agents in attendance.
According to Spears, the Warriors – who currently have three openings on their 20-man roster – would ideally like to add one big man and two guards to their roster for training camp.
Golden State has 13 players on fully guaranteed contracts, with Damion Lee also expected to make the regular season roster. Barring additional roster moves, that would leave just one opening on the 15-man squad, with Gary Payton II and Mychal Mulder among the players vying for that spot.
The Warriors are well over the luxury tax line and could theoretically keep the 15th spot open to save some money, but they aren’t particularly deep at point guard and aren’t acting like a team that plans to carrying just 14 players. Darren Collison and Ryan Arcidiacono are among the other guards who have worked out for the club.
Bradley, considered a three-and-D guard, appeared in a total of 27 games for the Heat and Rockets in 2020/21. His scoring average dipped to 6.4 PPG on .374/.327/.800 shooting, his worst numbers since his rookie season.
A two-time champion with the Warriors and Lakers, Cook appeared in 107 games for the Warriors from 2017-19. He played in 23 games last season for the Lakers and Cavs, and has career averages of 6.4 PPG and 1.6 APG on .461/.408/.795 shooting.
I’d rather have The Mitten at this point than any of these other past-their-prime or never-quite-there players.
Payton Jr is hungry, athletic and effective. I think he’s not caught on yet as he isn’t capable of running an offense or scoring in anything more than spot minutes, but he compares favourably to Cook, is on a par with Bradley and covers an area of need for the Warriors.
Sad to say IT is done, whatever he may still to be able to bring (without palming) offensively he undermines with his inability to make any kind of defensive impact, so he’s another Trey Burke type. Throw him in to see if he can get a couple of buckets but nothing more.
Incoming Wallyworld comment on how the Warriors will be a lottery team next season
Wally has vowed to not cast disparaging comments toward other teams. Says he had a life-changing event recently which has caused this. Personally I hope everything is okay with him and look forward to his friendly harmless yet spirited banter regarding all things NBA, especially the Warriors.
I missed that. His insight otherwise is very intelligent and well thought out, look forward to talking sensible basketball with him.
Sarcasm right? Just checking.
No sarcasm. He responded to a post that was a couple days old and mentioned it. Maybe early last week sometime.
No, I have turned over a new leaf here. Believe it or not.
Instead of using so much of my energy to talk trash about other teams and their players, I have decided to concentrate more on the progress that will hopefully be made next season by all of the young talented players with the Rockets in the hope that they will become contenders themselves in the near future. I’ll try not to be too smug.
With all the young guys and this fantastic draft they had there’s a lot to look forward to as a Rockets fan. I’ll definitely tune in to their games to watch the progress.
Yes an interesting young team, the Rockets. They will likely play a wide-open style.
I’m still baffled why W’s never gave Jeremy Lin a chance to play last year even on a 10 day contract. He’s a local product and an Asian icon, and played well for their G Team.
He’s a really good player who does a lot of things really well. He can run an offense and score a little and when he was younger he took the league by storm for two weeks.
If you look at him today he’s in his mid-30s and has slowed down a little bit on both offense and defense. At six foot three he doesn’t quite have enough size to absorb that speed loss and still be effective with length either to get his shot off or 2 disrupt defensively.
Lin’s going to be great in the G League because he’s going against guys who are not quite NBA level size quickness and ability. What I’m thinking is that most NBA teams use that backup to the backup point guard or other positions, and the 15th spot or the 14th spot on a guy with potential. Young guys they can develop.
A Wily veteran is great as your backup but not necessarily your “backup to the backup.” Follow me?
As a side note, this is why I believe Gary Payton will not make the team this year. I think he’s about 28 and my feeling is that teams want young projects who could be something eventually for that 14th, 15th spot. At 28 Gary Payton is what he is right now. He’s not suddenly be going to become a player at 30 after 2 years of working with the Warriors Etc. He’s worked with NBA teams already for 2, 3, 4 years. He is what he is right now. And it’s not enough.
Jeremy Lin was an NBA player but he slipped and he is what he is now. He’s not going to be better in 2 years. Just my opinion on how things work in the league. I’m not saying I’m right.
Lin is already back in China making $$.
Point was they are working out so many veterans now, and they wouldnt give Lin 10 day contract at the end of last year.
Okay cool gotcha. My point being why would they give Jeremy Lin a 10-day contract last year? The analysis above still fits whether it’s training camp invite now or 10-day contract last year.
The reason Gary Payton latched on is because of his great defense which is his known quality. Probably something the Warriors wanted.., to bring up the intensity or team defense or whatever.
Cook probably fits well as he knows the system and can play some defense….Mulder played decent last year and can shot 3’s.
Quinn cook at 24 is worth a roster spot. Maybe he turns into Patty Mills? Quinn cook at 28 is not worth a roster spot.
He is what he is right now and working with him for two years won’t make him any better at 30 than he is today. He is what he is. Rather take a flyer on a 22 to 25 year old then take a flyer a 28 year-old.
As I mentioned above, guys that are not the backup are preferably younger if they’re not in the rotation. You don’t want a thirty-year-old backup to the backup unless it’s Pat Beverley or something who’s going to play his minutes, especially in the playoffs.
Cook needs to go where be can play everyday or else how can he ever develop? G League or Europe …
Why not give Quinn Buckner or Jerry West a look?