LeBron James is officially taking his talents to the East Coast, teaming up with Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown, and V.J. Edgecombe on the Philadelphia 76ers. Yeah, you read that right. The NBA’s all-time scoring leader and 22-time All-Star just announced his next chapter, and it’s not with his close friend Draymond Green, the superstar he reveres in Steph Curry, or the coach he deeply respects, Steve Kerr. The Golden State Warriors held out hope, and while it never felt like a slam dunk, you know they had to chase it. Now, with LeBron off the board, the Dubs are left scrambling to fill out their roster after most of the league’s free agents signed elsewhere during the chase. They absolutely have to add at least one more player, and let’s not forget they still need to re-sign Green, who opted out to give the team some financial wiggle room for the King.
DeRozan: Certified Bucket Getter, Questionable Fit
So, who’s left for Golden State to target? Word is DeMar DeRozan shot right to the top of their board once James chose Philly. Now, let’s be real, this dude isn’t exactly a perfect puzzle piece for the Warriors. He doesn’t shoot threes, he’s not exactly dishing dimes all over the court, and defense? Not his biggest fan. Plus, if you’re on Curry’s side in the Drake vs. Kendrick Lamar beef, DeRozan is firmly on the opposite team. (Full disclosure: DeRozan’s side is the right side, but I digress.)
But here’s the kicker: DeRozan might be exactly what the Warriors need, especially with Jimmy Butler III out. This guy is still a certified bucket getter. Even in what they called a down year last season, he was still averaging 18.4 points per game and shooting nearly 50% from the field. When Curry needs a breather or takes a night off, you can literally give DeRozan the ball, clear out, and tell him to go get a score. He’s got that aggressive mentality that made Butler shine for the Warriors, and he draws fouls like crazy. For all their struggles last year, the Warriors’ biggest problem was straight up not having enough guys who could just go get a bucket. DeRozan, who got bought out by the Sacramento Kings and should be affordable, could totally fix that.
Beal: The Better Pure Scorer Option?
Then there’s Bradley Beal, who, as a pure basketball player, probably fits Golden State’s system better than DeRozan. Yeah, he’s an isolation scorer too, but his style just clicks more with what the Warriors try to do. The dude’s a career 37.6% shooter from deep, and last season he was hitting 40.7%. That kind of deep ball threat, even from an isolation guy, just makes more sense with Curry running around. The Warriors have a huge decision to make, and fast. The free agent market is picked clean, and they need to make a move to shore up that roster.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Golden State of Mind.
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