The Warriors have 14 out of 15 spots on their roster filled, and there’s another former NBA star who’s attempting a comeback.
Richard Hamilton last played for the Chicago Bulls during the 2012-2013 season, averaging 9.8 points per game in 21.8 minutes per game. He is now in the midst of a comeback attempt, and the Warriors are instantly being speculated as one of the teams that he would consider returning to.
Hamilton was a 3 time All Star as a member of the Detroit Pistons, and won a championship with them in 2004.
Unlike Ray Allen, nothing definitive is known about what teams Hamilton would consider joining, but given the status of the Warriors in the league, it’s safe to assume that any veteran looking to win a ring would be all too thrilled to join this team if offered the chance.
It sounds as though Hamilton is just in the beginning stages of his comeback attempt, and doesn’t know whether or not his body will allow him to follow through with his ambitious plans to return. Ananth Pandian is reporting that Hamilton will ramp up his training, and see where it goes from there.
“I’m giving myself 30 days where I am really hitting the gym,” Hamilton said. “And I’m trying to see if my body can hold up. If my body can hold up after these thirty days, I will be making a comeback.”
At this stage, Hamilton doesn’t have as much speed or quickness left, but he can still serve as a capable outside shooter at age 38.
The logic with bringing in a guy like Allen or Hamilton is that their niche on the squad would be to provide perimeter shooting off the bench, and not be relied upon too heavily to play major minutes.
Interesting enough, both are former UCONN Huskies, and both can provide invaluable veteran leadership along with their outside touch.
As good as Hamilton has been as an outside shooter during his NBA career, Allen is superior in that regard. If the Warriors are looking at one of these guys to play that role, why not try to get the guy who’s better at that specific skill?
If the Warriors are leaning towards filling a roster spot with one of these former star players, Allen should be prioritized above Hamilton.
Both couldn’t be realistically expected to make a large impact in any facet besides shooting, and while Hamilton is a good shooter, Allen is a legendary shooter. That’s the key difference.