Aside from their pursuit of free agent forward J.J. Hickson in order to bolster their frontcourt depth (as I discussed here), the Golden State Warriors are also in the market for an experienced guard who can backup both Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. With little money available for this year's free agent market, the Warriors are in the running to make a play for recently unretired Brandon Roy.
One of several teams in the running for his services, the Warriors met with Roy on Sunday and they hope to meet with him again later this week. Aside from how he would fill the Warriors needs as a backup guard, Golden State is viewed as a possible destination for Roy due to his ties to Warriors general manager and his former sports agent Bob Myers. Since retiring at the start of last season because of his chronic knee issues, Roy has received the platelet-rich plasma therapy procedure that Kobe Bryant had last year and has been rehabbing in hopes of returning to the NBA. If healthy, he would be a huge asset to whichever team he joins next year.
While the Warriors are clearly interested in the three-time All-Star, money will certainly be an issue and could ultimately affect whether the team is in the running for his services. Since the Warriors are close to the luxury tax, the team will likely use some but not all of their mid-level exception worth about $5 million. Whether it's spent on just one player or spread out among several free agents, the team has about $4 million to spend currently.
With the Chicago Bulls, Dallas Mavericks, Indiana Pacers, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Cleveland Cavaliers all vying for Roy, his asking price will likely rise and could be too much money for the Warriors to spend on yet another player with injury concerns. Also, if the Warriors were to sign Hickson or another significant free agent, this would greatly hamper the team's chances at having enough money for Roy. To add to the team's hurdles, some teams such as the Timberwolves are willing to offer a contract longer than one season, which could be something the Warriors are unwilling to match.
While it is unclear as to how much money Roy is looking for, the Warriors' current salary cap situation makes this signing an unlikely long shot.
Sources:
Warriors reportedly met with Brandon Roy, Bay Area News Group
Brandon Roy meets with Timberwolves; Bulls, Pacers, Mavericks and Warriors up next, Yahoo! Sports
Source: Timberwolves set to offer contract to free agent Brandon Roy, 1500 ESPN Twin Cities
More from this contributor:
Golden State Warriors Trying to Sign J.J. Hickson Once Again: Fan's Take
Grading the Golden State Warriors' 2012 NBA Draft Picks: Fan's Take
Fan's Take: Who Should the Golden State Warriors Select with the No. 7 Pick?
Why Golden State Warriors to San Francisco in 2017 is a Good Move: Fan's Take
Austin is a lifelong resident of the Bay Area, lifelong basketball fan and Golden State Warriors supporter, and a Featured Contributor for the Yahoo! Contributor Network. Follow this contributor on Twitter @_austinchang.
