The Warriors made some timely additions to their roster ahead of the 2024-25 season. But it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that they have yet to find a superstar to play alongside Stephen Curry. There’s no doubt that the Dubs saw Klay Thompson‘s exit coming. He’s been struggling since his return from back-to-back injuries. Between Steve Kerr benching him and the organization not giving him the deal the 4x champion believed he deserved, it was Hasta La Vista Bay Area, Hello Dallas.
With the regular season approaching fast, Kerr opens up about the failure to sign a capable All-Star. In his appearance at the TK Show (Audacy Original), the Dubs coach admits that while Steph is a great player, the organization has to ensure that he is surrounded by the best team to maximize efficiency. And they have been able to do that. To an extent.
“That’s what Joe Lacob and Mike Dunleavy are committed to and that’s what they attempted to do all summer,” he told host, Tim Kawakami. “Trying to get another star, couldn’t do that. Ended up spending money for three really good role players to come in and solidify our team. Gives us a lot of options going forward, gives us flexibility with some contracts. So I love what we have done organizationally and I think Steph really likes it, as well. He’s been in the gym these last few days. Fun seeing him getting to work and getting ready.”
First off, the Golden State got USC alum, De’Anthony Melton on a one-year, $12.8 million contract. A sign-and-trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves saw free agent Kyle Anderson sign a three-year $27 million deal. And finally, they managed to swoop veteran sharpshooter, Buddy Hield from the 76ers in yet another sign-and-trade deal guaranteed for 2 years, $21 million.
That is not to say the Warriors did not try to lure an All-Star caliber star to their roster. In fact, the Dubs were amongst the teams expected to make major noise. With the free agency stacked with some serious All-Star talents, everyone was sure GSW would be able to land at least one. They were rumored to have reportedly made a quiet try to land LeBron James, but of course, the ‘King’ never had any plans to leave Los Angeles.
The next and the most likely option was Paul George. We all know what happened there. A few other names like DeMar DeRozan, James Harden, Tobias Harris, etc. were all associated with the Dubs. While it definitely isn’t a splash, Hield is the closest in terms of support for Curry.
Buddy might not be an All-Star, but Steve Kerr can rest assured that he can get the job done
It is also worth noting that Hield’s contract is perhaps one of the best team-friendly ones. Buddy’s two-year deal includes a third year with partial assurance as well as a player option for a non-guaranteed fourth year. And as for the fit, looking at the most made threes since 2019 shows the ex-Pacer right behind ‘Chef Curry’ (1,600 and 1,618, respectively).
The man is one of the most consistent three-point shooters – a career 40.0% from beyond the arc. With Curry attracting double-teams, it will naturally leave the 31-year-old free for catch-and-shoot opportunities. Interestingly, Hield is also coming off a remarkable 84-game appearance (shipped from Indiana to Philly before the tradeline), averaging 12.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 2.8 assists.
That is the most number of games played in 20 years! The last player to do that was the former Suns’ first-round pick, Casey Jacobsen (2004-05). Clearly, the Warriors do not have to worry about Hield’s health. He’s never played less than 71 games in his career to date. So, even if the team wanted to rest Steph, Hield could easily step up.
The 2024-25 roster of the Dubs might not be perfect but they certainly have the potential for a deep playoff run. Hopefully, something happens along the way that might land a superstar in the Bay Area.
