By Kevin Jones
There’s a chance the Warriors could boast their most talented and diverse roster yet in the Steve Kerr era.
The rest of the NBA is in a mad dash to catch up to the Warriors. The problem? Golden State keeps getting better and better.
Omri Casspi is the latest move that has made the rest of the league shake their heads in sorrow. The Warriors inked the nine-year veteran to a one-year, $2.1 million deal on Tuesday.
Casspi is expected to replace Ian Clark’s role as a guard off the bench, but Steve Kerr’s really never had a reserve player with a tool kit of skills the Israeli provides. Casspi’s 6-foot-9 frame makes him much better for the Warriors’ switching defense than Clark. Casspi’s made 36.7 percent of his career 3s. He’s not some developmental project. He knows how to play. He can especially step up into multiple roles if there is an injury. Casspi provides flexibility.
This isn’t a signing that’ll move the needle like a Nick Young or Jamal Crawford, but you can bet there will be a time Casspi is on the court in the fourth quarter in an important moment. He’ll likely be paired together with David West in the early second and fourth quarters, although Kerr will have some strategizing to do with youngsters Damian Jones and Jordan Bell likely mainstays on the active roster.
We all know the Oracle Arena crowd has a tendency to make role players into more than they are. Casspi already had an experience like that of sorts, knocking down 9 of his 12 3s against the Warriors in a December 2015 contest as a member of the Kings. He isn’t known for his ability to catch fire, but Casspi could slightly evolve into a different player surrounded by superstars. He should also be expecting some teasing from Draymond Green.
At 29 years old, Casspi’s athleticism isn’t what it was when he entered the league in 2009, but it’s challenging to find skilled bench players who stand at 6-foot-9. Casspi, the only new veteran free-agent signing this far into the offseason, gives the Warriors another luxury — and something they’ve really never had.
The Warriors have 12 players under contract and still need to sign three more. Right now, the center position stands as Jones and Kevon Looney. That won’t exactly work (or maybe it will). Bringing back JaVale McGee and or Zaza Pachulia seems very necessary. Two of the remaining spots should be for veteran centers and another should be for a point guard to handle the garbage time duties so Shaun Livingston isn’t on the court for meaningless minutes.