Which Bargain Players Should Golden State Warriors Target?

Added: 2026-05-31

[00:00:00]The Warriors need to find a bargain or five this off seasonason. I'll tell you who those players could be coming up on the show.

[00:00:06]>> You are Locked On Warriors, your daily Golden State Warriors podcast.

[00:00:11]>> What are they going to say now?

[00:00:13]>> Part of the Locked On podcast network.

[00:00:16]Your team every day.

[00:00:27]What is good everyone? Welcome to Lockdown Warriors. We're part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day. My name is Chuck Walter.

[00:00:35]We'll get to the phone lines later on in the show. Our first voicemail, that number is 510-6891343 if you'd like to be a part of this or future shows. But really, one big topic I want to get to that's going to feature a bunch of different players, a bunch of different scenarios, and is going to allow me to do what I typically do, and that is weave in and out of traffic.

[00:01:01]Let's start with the bargain, Ben. So, is there any such thing is a bargain anymore? Like, truly, there was a time in life where you used to go to Mickey De's and it was like 99 cents for a double cheeseburger. I went to one the other day. It was $4.35 or something along those lines for a double cheeseburger. The the biggie bag, it's doubled in price. The five for five at Arby's, it's now five for 500. It's just not the same world we used to live in. We used to be able to go down to a hobby shop, Professor Oak, rip open a $1.99 pack of Pokemon. That same pack now $600.

[00:01:41]That's life. It's what happens in the NBA. Salaries have been raised quite a bit. You could still however find bargains and that's what the Warriors need as they enter another off season where maxle guys are out of the question and it's most likely going to be mid-level exception and vet minimum dudes. So, can we find a bargain? Let's start with a guard that I think actually could be a splendid fit for the dubs. I just think it may be a little unrealistic. But does it have to be unrealistic? It's IO Dumo.

[00:02:17]More guards. That's what some of you are saying. More guards. The Warriors need more guards. Like assuming Gary Payton walks and DeAnthony Melton walks and Pat Spencer isn't back and LJ Crier isn't back. If that whole crew is not back, it's Curry and Pods. You look at the returning players for the Warriors and not many of them are guards. Not many of them are ball handlers. Like, they do need many things this off season with guards being one of them. Now, Dumo is expected to sign a $15 million deal with the Wolves, something along those lines.

[00:02:55]So, it may be difficult, but why not overpay? Why not overpay for IO? Or if not, would you call about Terrence Shannon Jr. IO's teammate?

[00:03:09]Because that's what it's going to take this off seasonason to me. It's finding a team where players are blocked and then inquire about those players. Like you look at the past when teams get steals, assuming you think Jared McCain is a steal right now. And I was corrected for my comment about second round picks the other day on the show.

[00:03:27]They did give up one first and three seconds. did the uh Oklahoma City Thunder to attain obtain Jared McCain from the Philadelphia 76ers.

[00:03:39]Still, I mean, McCain's putting up 20 in the postseason. That's a pretty valuable asset you got there. The only reason that they were able to get him, that the Thunder were able to get him from Philadelphia, is because the Sixers had that position blocked after signing VJ Edge and they were going more Quinton Grimes at that point than Jared McCain.

[00:04:01]Luca Donuch was blocking, you know, Jaylen Brunson from being that on the ball, put it in his hands, make him pay. Like that's exactly what Brunson does now and that's what Luca used to do for Dallas. And because of that, it just wasn't as much of a necessity. And New York saw what he was capable of and said, "We'll give you a $25 million per year salary and the rest is history." That is what the Warriors need to strike gold on. It's easier said than done. It really does come down to scouting this off season. When you're talking about Au Dumu and that name Terren Shannon, like don't forget about him. He's been kind of buried.

[00:04:45]Minnesota's been reluctant to play him.

[00:04:47]And I get he's just a secondyear player, but I think he's 25 or 26. He is an older dude that's been sitting on that bench and as soon as he gets an opportunity, he had just balled out over the course of the playoffs, especially when Edwards was down. He's lightning in a bottle. he can kind of play. Maybe you inquire about Terrence Shannon Jr. and you look into those types of players that just haven't consistently gotten the minutes and see if you can quote unquote overpay. I'm sure Jaylen Brunson at the time was quote unquote, if not an overpay, an onpar pay. You the Knicks didn't think they were getting the steel of the century at that point in time. He was four years into the league and never made an All-Star game and averaged 16 points per game. You probably assumed $25 million a year player and now he's clearly proved that he's over $50 million per year. But that is life.

[00:05:41]Would you pay overpay for IO Dumu? I'd pay for him. Overpay? Who knows? But he's an elite transition fit. He's that low usage connective guard that we talked about that would fit the Steve Kerr system. He's that Steve Cerr style processor that can really thrive without dominating the ball and handle secondary creation. He's also a really good three-point shooter. Really good three-point shooter that can hit nearly 40% if not more. Defends point of attack.

[00:06:17]Why would you not like Iodumu? So the the notion is that Minnesota is just going to go out there and lock him up with ease because they have his bird rights and he was on the team last year.

[00:06:30]But I think if you threw him enough money it becomes realistic. Like low key he'd be better off signing a deal with the Warriors than the Wolves. I think he has more opportunity to be a dude if he wants to be that. you know, he may just want to play with Ant and win more games than in the Bay Area, but if he wants to be a dude, Steph is sitting weekly.

[00:06:53]He's the solo dude, the sole proprietor of scoring the basketball when Curry load manages and when he's on the bench.

[00:07:06]Dumo, who went for 43 in a game against Denver in the postseason, he'd have that opportunity for the Warriors quite a bit. And if he was willing to sign maybe a one-year, two-year prove it deal, maybe he gets a big extension. He's still extremely young. Maybe he gets a big extension from the Warriors or from a different team. Whereas in Minnesota with Randall and he's fighting Terrence Shannon for a spot and with Aunt Edwards and with Nas Reed and with Jaden McDaniels, like it seems like Minnesota just kind of runs that team back over and over. And if they just plug in IO, I mean, he got his minutes last year. He was getting 30 plus minutes in the playoffs, but he's not that primary guy, and he has opportunities to be the primary guy for many stretches if he were to join the Warriors. I'd be interested in Iodumo.

[00:07:57]Keon Ellis is another name. And why he's an elite fit for the Dubs is his elite perimeter defense, his quick decision making, which we know is vital in a Steve Kerr offense. He's a solid three-point shooter, low mistakes, long arms, doesn't need touches to affect the game.

[00:08:18]If Steph needs one thing from a fellow guard, especially a fellow smaller guard, it's someone that isn't ran off the floor defensively. It's someone that you can play next to Steph and you can survive with. And Keon Ellis is one of those guards that, you know, you could play the two guard lineup there, the the smaller guards, and he's going to hold his own. You can get him on the cheap, too. His value is down big time. Didn't work out with the Cavs in the playoffs, and the untouchable that it seemed like he was last summer when we had on Matt George from Locked on Kings at the time, and he was discussing Keon Ellis and the the Jonathan Kaminga trade. And I mentioned, hey, maybe you throw in Keon Ellis to this deal with Daario Sarich and Devin Carter and you got yourself a deal. And it was, no, Keon's not going anywhere. He's an integral part of what the Kings are trying to do here. And he ended up being an integral part of the Cleveland Cavaliers bench during the NBA playoffs.

[00:09:18]So you could probably get him maybe on event minimum or a very affordable contract to where that's a name that you look out for this off season. So two names in Io Dumu probably a stretch.

[00:09:32]Money may be too much. He may just be leaning towards Minnesota. Keon Ellis very much a realistic possibility. Would you like him to replace DeAnthony Melton or Gary Payton II? Seems like a pretty good version of that archetype. We'll talk about some more names coming up.

[00:09:49]One I want to get into was actually a promising young player on the San Antonio Spurs pre-Wimy and then Wimi and Castle and Harper comes in and he just completely fell out of the rotation this year. Has a new home and will be looking for a new one next year.

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[00:12:32]All right, we go back to the bargain bin to see if the Warriors can find anyone this summer in free agency that could help them win and help them ball on a budget. Because as we know and as we've known for the last couple of summers, budgets big for the Dubs. We don't have a lot of spending. This is like me at the Parish Festival circa 2001 where I'd have $5. Ring toss is right there.

[00:13:01]Basketball's right there, but I want to throw my buddy in the dunking booth. I gotta nail that that bell and and drop him in the water. You got to take your pick. The spinning wheel, whatever you want. Not the ferris wheel, but you know what I'm talking about. That goes round and round. You're standing like you're in a straight jacket. I know someone out there's ridden one of those things. That that's got to wait. Anyways, enough of the county fair. Back to finding a team that has a blockage. In fact, let's do a fun little assignment up the NBA standings right now. And I'm going to use my abundance of NBA knowledge to find teams that may have players blocked that I would inquire about if I were the Warriors. And now, these are just players that exist because I don't know if all of them are fits. My full-time job is not to be the scout for the Golden State Warriors and make six figures. So, with that being said, I'm giving you the names. Now, a few I will disclose that I do like. And starting with the Detroit Pistons, if Assar Thompson's their dude, Ron Holland, who's a former lottery pick, a top five pick in the NBA, he was played off the floor in the playoffs. He's still young enough to where I don't think they're going to give up on him.

[00:14:22]But maybe that's someone you inquire about. He is long. He is athletic. If he can he can get to the rim. If he can figure out any sort of a jump shot at the NBA level, he's going to be awesome.

[00:14:34]Probably one of those dudes that never figures out a jump shot and he's more of a three and D guy without the three.

[00:14:40]He's just a D guy. But hey, maybe they sell him on the cheap and all it takes is some seconds. It's not going to take seconds. You'll probably have to eventually give him a first in there.

[00:14:51]But you never know. That's the guy for the Pistons that you could potentially call about. Celtics. I don't know if there's anyone on Boston. Maybe Amari Williams that didn't get a ton of PT last year that I've talked to some scouts in the game that said he's got a little bit of that Jokic game to him.

[00:15:09]He's older, which I don't love. He's like 25, 26, I think. But Amari Williams is the name there. The Knicks. That brings me to our next topic, our next player right now, and it's someone that I think is actually pretty realistic.

[00:15:26]It's Jeremy Sohan, who was a dude, a top 10 pick a couple of years ago, a couple years ago at this point, like four years ago. But for the San Antonio Spurs, his first three years, he was like 11 and six. He was good for San Antonio. Really good defender. Came out with pink hair, green hair, red hair. He was like the the Dennis Rodman and was good. He was more than just a defensive specialist. He could score it a little bit too.

[00:15:54]Switchable defender.

[00:15:56]Can really playmake in transition. He's got great positional size that helps the Warriors. Is a connective passer. We love those words. And he's like the Draymond style utility dude. However, Draymond strains the spacing. You can't really have both those guys on your roster. But if you were to free up some capital and Draymond ended up going elsewhere and you needed that type of replacement, Jeremy Sohan's someone that his stock is as low as it's ever been.

[00:16:25]He's 23. He's not old whatsoever. He came out of Baylor, I think, after just a season. So, he's still figuring it out. The Knicks didn't have room for him. I don't think they're going to have room for him next year. The Warriors have room for anyone that's got talent at this point. Truly, if like I've seen tons of people in the chat saying, "Go with Nate Williams. Nate Williams. Give Nate Williams a contract." I'd rather have Soan than Nate Williams. 6'9, 7 foot wingspan, elite defensive versatility. The playmaking and passing, the high basketball IQ, he's not the end- all beall this off season, but he's worth a look in my opinion. All right, let's go back to the teams. the Cleveland Cavaliers. Jaylen Tyson, who's a Cal Berkeley dude, he got played off the floor.

[00:17:16]Maybe the Cavs would be willing to give him up. That's someone that put up 40 points in a game this season. Was averaging like 14 and then the playoffs rolled around. The Cavs didn't really trust him. Who knows if they will next year if he's a part of the future plans, but that's probably the guy to look at there. I don't think they'd want to give up Proctor. And frankly, I'd rather have Tyson than Proctor. Atlanta. I don't even know. I mean, they're not giving up Newell. I I don't know who Atlanta even has that's buried behind there. Maybe Cory Kiss, huh? Maybe Cory Kissert would be an interesting one to look at for the Warriors when you talk about needing to add some shooting. He had a few good games for the Hawks, but wasn't really a focal point of what they're trying to do. And again, I think the Warriors have more opportunity than just about every team in the league. We're talking five, six players under contract right now.

[00:18:10]Six players at most. Eight. If Al and Draymond opt in. If one of those guys don't opt in, you're talking eight roster spots that you need to fill this off season. I think Melton's walking. Do you move on from Payton? Quinton Post is an unrestricted free agent. There are a lot of dudes. You're not bringing back Seth Curry. There are spots to fill to where some of these teams that have dudes that are buried, especially restricted free agents, if you want to match or go over the offer sheet, like I don't see why you couldn't get them.

[00:18:43]76ers, Quinton Grimes, he's an unrestricted free agent now, but we spent just about the entire show yesterday talking about how Quinton Grimes would be a really good fit in the Golden State Warriors system. Maybe he's someone you look at. The Magic.

[00:19:01]I don't think they're getting rid of Anthony Black. I don't think there's anyone there that's that's really buried off the top of my head. The Hornets will lump Kobe White in with the Hornets since that's where he finished. Why not?

[00:19:13]I'd take him over Colin Ston and Anthony Simons, who are two names that have been linked to the Warriors this off season.

[00:19:22]Two guys that the Warriors could potentially go after. I think he's the best offensive player that's realistically available in this entire thing. If you wanted to overpay Kobe White, be my guest. He's young, gives the Warriors a real score, can carry the non-S Steph Curry minutes, high volume shooting, creates pace, gets downhill, crammed it over Wimby, I think twice, but again, he's probably expensive. like Kobe White's really good to where I don't know if the Warriors would be able to get him, but if you did want to add that secondary score, that secondary creator, there's your splash. He may be the best blend of age, upside, and fit available. We're going to continue the bargain bin talk that's coming up next on Locked on Warriors with one of those names being a former Boston Celtic that torched the Warriors in the NBA Finals years ago. Warriors got the last laugh. Who is that player?

[00:20:22]Why would he fit? I'll tell you. That's coming up on Locked on Dubs.

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[00:21:15]>> And buddy, stop trying to dribble the ball.

[00:21:20]>> We've told you a little bit about our Everyday Club. It's lockedpodcast.com/ everydayer club. All right, before we get back into the bargain bin, I want to get into our first caller. Finally, after a long wait, we have had someone that dialed the voicemail line.

[00:21:40]510-6891343 510-6891343.

[00:21:47]This thing's a game changer for postgame shows. and we will feature your thoughts, your takes, your questions, anything that's on your mind as long as they're under 45 seconds on this show moving forward this entire summer. Let's get to our first caller and see what he's got to say.

[00:22:06]>> How you doing? My name is Karan Robinson. Um calling out New Jersey. Um I am a Steph Curry Warrior fan. Um, what do you guys think should happen this off season for the Warriors to improves for them to get the contention and Steph win his fifth title? Do you think that they trade for a star? Do they go out to Giannis or Kawhai? Or do they trade Jimmy Draymond? Or do they think they just keep going with the same team next year and just add like three key acquisition free agents like a Quinton garage, maybe an Ebony Simons? Or do they keep or draft or keep their draft pick and draft the guy from Michigan?

[00:22:47]Like what do you think what the ration think is realistically gonna happen to the >> to answer your question best chance Curry has to win us fifth is if he's somewhere else. That's just the honest truth that I think is realism at this point. Like there is not a great chance that he wins another one in a Warriors uniform unless he's got like four or five more years in them. Then there may be enough turnover to where the Warriors are actually competitors. There's nothing that says the Warriors can't be competitors in a couple of seasons. One, because you got the draft pick this year. We've seen that the 11th pick has produced Hall of Famers. It's produced players that are ready from day one. There's no reason why the Warriors can't get one of those guys. Now, does it happen more often than not? No. But if it does and if you replace Jimmy Butler's salary when it comes off the books next year with another maxle player that's one of the better players in the association and you get another lottery pick the next year and uh G Santos takes a step up.

[00:23:53]You work out a deal with Pajimsky or use the money that he would have gotten for another highlevel quality player.

[00:23:58]Moody's back. Like there there may be an avenue in in 2028, 2029 if Curry's still got this level of game in them to where you have the roster to compete, but right now you're behind the eightball.

[00:24:10]Do you want to talk about competing next year? I mean, it's the old Tony Horton, the the legend, the creator of P90X. He used to always say, "Do your best and forget the rest." And I've lived my life that way. That that motto, all you can do is do your best and forget the rest.

[00:24:28]And for the Warriors, they have to forget the rest. They have to forget championships. All they can do this offseason is try to put the most competitive team on the floor that doesn't gut anything moving forward. And also, I think my most important stipulation, there needs to be upside players. That's why I'm fine with Dumo.

[00:24:48]That's why I'm fine with Quinton Grimes.

[00:24:50]That's why I'm fine with Kobe White going with players that have never really fully had the opportunity to put it together for a full season, whether it be fit, whether it be injury, whether it be playing time. And this is the experimentation mode where you can bring those types of players in knowing that you're probably not going to win a championship. You got Steph Curry on your team who can guide G-Leaguers essentially, as we saw, you know, last year, a roster full of G-Leaguers to wins. This is the time to find those types of players. More guys in the bargain bin as we once again open up the lid and we take a look in there and and see what's hiding down there.

[00:25:30]Jordan Goodwin, I think he's a very realistic Warriors target. He can survive defensively next to Steph. He's exactly the kind of vet minimum lowcost rotation guy that you would want. He's a physical defender. He rebounds well for a guard. So between him and Pajimsky, you got a couple of the best rebounding guards in the game. Very high motor, plays hard, doesn't take a possession off. He's a secondary ball handler. He's a low ego role player that doesn't need to get his that will just come in and do his job. He can't be your primary guy that you get this off season. Like, you're not going to excite me. When when Klay Thompson left and the Warriors brought in Kyle Anderson as his replacement, like it was difficult to say, "Oh, you know, Kyle Anderson, slow-mo. He's he's as good as Klay Thompson." It was hard to say that. And with Jordan Goodwin, if they brought him in as the key acquisition this off season, it'd be very hard to spin it into, oh, the Warriors won this off season. But as a complimentary piece to a a bigger hall of guys that you bring in, he he fits his role. Like if you bring in Kobe White and Jordan Goodwin, you're good on guards. Gary, we're good here.

[00:26:54]Pat, we're good here. Melt, we're good here. You got your guards. You got Pods, you got Goodwin, you got Kobe White, and you got Steph Curry. Those are your guards. You got some dudes. Then you just have to attack the forwards. Maybe Jeremy Sohan. We talked about him. You still need a big though. Chris Porzingis may be the big in the interim. I don't think he's your big long term. If the Warriors do give him a deal, I cannot imagine that it extends beyond Steph Curry and Steve Cerr's contract. I just there's no way that the Warriors go out and throw Chrisph Sporzingis a three-year deal. So, they need someone longer term, but you'll take an interim guy for now, too, because there's a good chance Porzingis is not back. How about Robert Williams III?

[00:27:46]He's a good swing if healthy. That's kind of in the story of his game, but he's still young enough. He's under 30.

[00:27:54]Gives you the rim protection and the vertical spacing. Very athletic. He's tenacious, but availability is your best ability and availability has been difficult for him. But he's an unrestricted free agent. And next to Draymond, God, you'd be bogged down offensively.

[00:28:13]But that would be a lot of fun to see what that defensive ceiling looked like.

[00:28:18]You want to see what an offensive ceiling looks like? Bring in Cam Thomas.

[00:28:23]Like, makes no sense. Cam Thomas is a case study. Makes no sense. He is walking proof that stats mean nothing.

[00:28:35]empty calories.

[00:28:37]Nobody wants Cam Thomas. Nobody's willing to give him the money that he thinks he deserves. Milwaukee didn't even want him last year. He came in scoring 20 points. They were like, he's an insane score. He always has been, but he's just a questionable fit for everyone. He's isolationheavy. Doesn't fit Curr's ecosystem. maybe could work if the Warriors change things in Steph's later years, but he's not a clean stylistic fit and I kind of would like to see it just because it's Cam Thomas. He'll go out there and give you like 30 points per game sometimes, but he he just he's not the dude. Those are the players I'd be looking at. Look, we've spent the last two or three shows talking mainly about Warriors free agency, potential trades, things that they could do from that market. We've taken a lot of time away from the draft, and we need to get back into it. Refresh your minds. See where the mocks are moving, where players are falling after combines and private workouts. Who are the Warriors going to draft with their 11th overall pick?

[00:29:43]We'll also give some thoughts on their second round pick. That'll be on tomorrow's program. And for now, this is Lockdown Warriors signing off. I'm Chuck Walter. We're part of the Lockdown Podcast Network, your team every day.