Rounding out the warriors salary/roster and why Damion Lee will be the last addition in the coming days
A lot has changed in the past month. The Warriors have lost previous key members of this team in Kevin Durant, Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston, and most importantly Oakland, as the Warriors look to cross the bay into the new Chase Center. Other members from last year's title run have been cut short from our wild off-season in the likes of Quinn Cook, Demarcus Cousins, and Jordan Bell.
Bob Myers and the front office shocked us all in agreeing to a sign-and-trade for D'angelo Russell thus hard capping us at the apron of $138,928,000. Since then, we have danced around that number in the youth movement that has inserted the roster with new talent and turned away from familiar faces.
Here is what we know so far:
D'angelo Russell signing a max contract for 4 years, 117M
Klay Thompson re-signing for his max of 5 years, 189.9M
Kevon Looney re-signing for three years 15M
Free agent Glenn Robinson III signing for a two year minimum contract with a player option on the second year
And here is where the rest fits together:
Jordan Poole's first round draft pick scale (120%)
Alfonzo Mckinnie's contract to be guaranteed next year
Both second round picks in Alen Smailagic and Eric Paschall will sign for the minimum over at least two years with an intriguing option of signing them via each a slice the Mid level exception, which can be split multiple ways, to provide a third year at the minimum which will most likely have a team option on the final year.
Shaun Livingston's name will not be on the roster next year as he falls victim to the youth movement and the need to cut money for the hard cap. There have been talks of a possible trade to move along his 2M but I think the FO would rather just waive and stretch his contract instead of the potential of moving more future assets. All of this can happen when Shaun's money becomes guaranteed on the 10th and the Warriors can proceed to waive and stretch his contract.
And lastly is WIllie Cauley Stein. When it was announced that he was Warriors-bound, it was confusing why he got slightly above the minimum when we could have signed him for his minimum amount of $1,737,145 and counting for a lower $1,620,564 against our precious cap space. (Regardless, the Dubs were able to offer him this contract by giving yet another slice of the Mid Level exception.) Then it hit me. This was the Warriors last move of the off-season. This was the final piece of being able to offer a guy who is worth more than the minimum to stand out amongst the competition in the slightest. Offering him every last penny we were capable of dishing out all while staying under the hard cap.
And here is why it works. Assuming all the above is true, it leaves us with enough money for one more minimum contract. And that is Damion Lee. It has been reported that he has been practicing with the Warriors summer league squad and has been a normal face at summer league sitting alongside front office names of the Warriors. All point to him coming back for next season.
Why haven't we signed him yet you ask? The answer lies in the fact that all things financial must happen in a specific order. Shaun Livingston's contract will be waived and stretched when July 10th rolls around will be the final pillar to fall to open the door for Damion to improve on his impressive season last year in a larger roll on this younger squad.
with all of that said, here is how we will stand in the coming days after a whirlwind of an off-season:
| Player | Age | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | |
| Stephen Curry | 31 | $40,231,758 | $43,006,362 | $45,780,966 | Bird rights | ||
| Klay Thompson | 29 | $32,742,000 | $35,361,360 | $37,980,720 | $40,600,080 | $43,219,440 | Bird rights |
| D'angelo Russell | 23 | $27,285,000 | $28,649,250 | $30,013,500 | $31,377,750 | Sign-and-Trade | |
| Draymond Green | 29 | $18,539,130 | Bird rights | ||||
| Kevon Looney | 23 | $4,629,630 | $5,000,000 | $5,370,370 | Bird rights | ||
| Damian Jones | 24 | $2,305,057 | Rookie | ||||
| Jordan Poole | 20 | $1,964,760 | $2,063,280 | $2,161,440 | $3,901,399 | Rookie | |
| Jacob Evans III | 22 | $1,925,880 | $2,017,320 | $3,641,263 | Rookie | ||
| Glenn Robinson III | 25 | $1,882,867 | $2,071,978 | Minimum | |||
| Willie Cauley-Stein | 26 | $1,749,836 | MLE | ||||
| Damion Lee | 26 | $1,620,564 | Minimum | ||||
| Alfonzo McKinnie | 27 | $1,588,231 | Minimum | ||||
| Eric Paschall | 22 | $898,310 | $1,517,981 | $1,782,621 | MLE | ||
| Alen Smailagic | 19 | $898,310 | $1,517,981 | $1,782,621 | MLE | ||
| Ky Bowman | 22 | Two-Way | |||||
| Two-Way | |||||||
| Shaun Livingston | 33 | $666,667 | $666,667 | $666,667 | Waive and Stretch | ||
| Team Total | $138,927,999 | $121,872,179 | $129,180,168 | $75,879,229 | $43,219,440 | ||
| Salary Cap | $109,140,000 | 116,000,000 | |||||
| Luxury Tax | $132,627,000 | 140,778,000 | |||||
| Apron | $138,928,000 | ||||||
| Space Below Apron | $1 | ||||||
| Tax to be Paid | $ 16,077,748 | ||||||
| Team Total Cost | $155,005,747 |
It's going to be a up and down season next year with all the new younger faces but I hope you all share the excitement I do in seeing what kind of potential this team has going forward.
If you have any questions regarding my multiple theories (insert charlie conspiracy wall meme) feel free to leave a comment and I will gladly provide my input.