Helpful Free Agents Remain

With the season nearly upon us training camp is set to  commence in a few weeks; the Warriors are still looking to round out their roster.  The Warriors made their key off-season moves earlier this summer and are now looking for additional help to come in and bolster their bench unit.  The players still available aren’t going to come in and put up outrageous numbers instead these players can come in and supplement the talent on the roster in an effort to make a playoff run this season.  Let’s take a look at some of the players still available who would be a good fit under Don Nelson with the Warriors.

When you hear the name, Bobby Simmons; the first thing that comes to mind is the lavish deal he secured while a member of the Los Angeles Clippers.  Simmons is coming off a third straight season in which he didn’t produce and was never able to live up to his expectations.  Quite surprising that Simmons is still available as he’s a player who can come in right away and contribute in multiple ways.  Simmons would give the Warriors additional depth at the Small Forward position as newly acquired Dorell Wright is the only true SF on the roster.  Bringing in Simmons would mean less time at SF for Reggie Williams which would benefit the Warriors as they wouldn’t be undersized and playing players out of position.  Lowered expectations and the ability to play in a new system could revitalize Simmons and help him recapture some of the magic from a few seasons ago.

With the departure of Ronny Turiaf and the uncertainty of whether or not Andris Biedrins can step it up this season- the Warriors have a glaring weakness at the Center position.  They added Dan Gadzuric in the Corey Maggette trade however; not much is expected from Gadzuric as he was brought over more for his expiring contract than what he can contribute on the floor.  To fill the hole behind Biedrins, a player the Warriors should consider is Earl Barron.  Barron finished up last season strong in New York where he average 11.7 ppg and 11 rpg during a 7 game run in the Big Apple.  Barron showed the ability to knock down mid-range jumpers which coupled with his rebounding ability would provide the Warriors with an adequate replacement for Turiaf. The price tag on Barron is well within the range of what the Warriors have left to spend this off-season as they look to give the roster a final tweak.

The Warriors need a back-up point guard to Stephen Curry preferably one with experience and who embodies a pass-first mentality.  Enter, Earl Watson.  Bringing in Watson would immediately cement the back-up PG position and give the Warriors a great replacement for CJ Watson who was traded to the Chicago Bulls.  Watson has experience playing in an uptempo system and isn’t concerned about his scoring numbers rather he plays the position like a true PG.  The Warriors currently have Jeremy Lin and Charlie Bell as the potential back-ups to Stephen Curry and neither of them are traditional PG’s nor do they possess the skill-set of Watson.  The opportunity to play right away and in a player friendly system should be enticing enough for Watson to make the move to Golden State.