Grading Warriors' Biggest Moves from 2022 NBA Offseason
The Golden State Warriors witnessed more subtractions than additions over the 2022 NBA offseason.
That doesn't necessarily make it a bad summer, though.
Their most important free agent stayed put, and their two biggest on-court losses were potentially covered by cheaper replacements.
Let's dig into the moves themselves and assign letter grades to the biggest ones based on value and possible impact.
Re-Signing Kevon Looney
All due respect to Gary Payton II and Otto Porter Jr., but Kevon Looney was Golden State's most significant free agent.
His first season as a full-time starter featured several personal bests. Oh, yeah, and an NBA title. Speaking of that championship run, Looney hammered home his value in the Finals as he posted a series-best plus-48 over his 130 minutes.
His smarts and low-maintenance skills make him a snug fit in this system. On offense, he sets hard screens, battles on the boards and finishes around the basket. On defense, he provides both paint protection and the ability to survive perimeter switches.
You can probably nitpick paying a non-star center $25.5 million over three seasons in the modern NBA, but Golden State had several reasons to believe Looney is worth the investment.
Grade: A-
Adding Donte DiVincenzo
If everything breaks right, Donte DiVincenzo has a chance to emerge as one of this summer's biggest steals. And not just in Golden State, but the Association at large.
Before an ankle injury derailed his 2021 playoff run, DiVincenzo had established himself as a key cog on the eventual champion Milwaukee Bucks. While he showed enough rust upon his return for the Bucks to trade him away, he rebounded nicely with the Sacramento Kings and flashed much of his former two-way ability.
He's a plucky defender who generates steals defensively, he contributes on the glass and he works on or off the ball on offense. If he merely mimics his 2020-21 production—10.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.1 steals in 27.5 minutes per game—he'll lock down a sizable role in the rotation and have everyone wondering how the Warriors got him for only a two-year, $9.3 million deal.
If he's healthy, he's a steal.
Grade: A
The Late Addition of JaMychal Green
It wasn't entirely clear how the Warriors planned to replace Porter, who perked up the frontcourt with long-range shooting, defensive versatility and veteran savvy.
Then, the Oklahoma City Thunder waived JaMychal Green, and a solution fell right in Golden State's lap.
Now, it's worth noting the 32-year-old is coming off a choppy campaign, and you can't rule out the possibility of it being some kind of age-related decline. However, if his three-ball simply bounces back (26.6 percent last season, 39.5 over the three years prior), that could take care of most of his problems.
Like Porter, Green can slot into any of the three frontcourt slots and fill a complementary role at both ends of the floor. He plays as if he has already been schooled in the Warriors' way, and he should hit the ground running if his shot gets back on track.
Grade: A