The four superstars will be back. That much we know about the 2017-18 edition of the Golden State Warriors. Though Kevin Durant and Stephen Curry have some new contracts to sign this summer, both will do so barring some unforeseen catastrophe. But nearly every other player from this year’s title-winning squad, save the rookies and sophomores like Pat McCaw and Kevon Looney, will be a free agent come July 1.
Bay Area News Group’s Tim Kawakami joined Sportsphone 680 with Ray Woodson on Wednesday evening and touched on most of Golden State’s pending free agents, including the two most important, Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston. Both have been part of the both championships for the Warriors, and Iguodala is finishing up a four-year deal that paid him about $48 million.
For his part, Kawakami said he thinks Iguodala’s return is nearly a guarantee. The number of years on the contract may be a point of dispute between Iguodala and Golden State, Kawakami said, but the sides are eager to work out a deal. Livingston, on the other hand, may not be so sure of a thing. Iguodala has made more than $100 million in his career, while Livingston hasn’t made more than $5.5 million in any one season. That difference in career earnings could be a key in their decisions this summer, according to Kawakami.
“Iguodala’s basically agreed to terms, I was told months ago that it’s only about years now. It’s only about years. He’ll want four, and they’ll offer two, and then maybe they do three. And it won’t be for a huge number, it just isn’t going to be,” Kawakami said. “And then they look at Livingston, and Livingston’s the one guy who’s not signed one of those big deals in his career. He’s been through a lot, he’s had the huge injury. If he gets a three or four year deal, $10 million a year from somebody else, I think the Warriors are going to let him go. And they would love to have him back, but that’s not the guy they’re going to circle.”
The full interview with Kawakami is available below. To hear his thoughts on the Warriors’ upcoming free agents like Iguodala and Livingston, jump to the 10:05 mark.