The negotiation deadline ended about 24 hours ago, but the teams are already turning their attention to the next big day in the player movement calendar: free agency. One team that will have to make some decisions this summer is the Golden State Warriors.
In particular, swingman Kelly Oubre Jr.’s contract has ended, and the Warriors will have to decide whether they want to bring him back after an inconsistent season so far. Speaking to reporters on Friday, GM Bob Myers said the answer is yes, which is why they did not negotiate on Thursday. Via ESPN:
“I think a lot of people thought it might be available,” said Myers. “But we also value him, as evidenced by not exchanging him. … He handled it very well. I think our actions reflected how we see him.”
Oubre, however, is not so sure about his future in the Bay Area, which would likely include a bench position next season, once Klay Thompson returns from an injury. Addressing the situation on Thursday night after the Warriors’ defeat by the Kings, Oubre said the following:
“I can’t speak for the future, brother. You keep asking me questions like I’m a medium. But at the end of the day, I’m growing up, I’m improving my skills in this league and I can offer you much more than leaving the bank, so at the end of the day, this is my life. I cannot predict the future. Only God can. “
Unsurprisingly, Oubre was not interested in discussing whether or not he would accept less money to stay with the Warriors next season. In response to the offensive limit question on Thursday, Oubre said, “I’m not answering your questions anymore. I’m sorry. Next question.”
Oubre is racking up 15.2 points and 5.8 rebounds in his first season with the Warriors, which may seem like decent numbers, but he has been disappointing, except for a scorching February. Even with the recent heat wave, he is still shooting 43.9 percent of the field and 31.1 percent of the 3-point land. He also has one of the team’s worst on / off matches. The Warriors have a net rating of 4.6 when he sits down and a net rating of minus 3.7 when he is on the court.
He is still quite young, a great athlete and a worker who can defend various positions on the defensive end. Despite the brutal shooting numbers, you can understand why the Warriors would be interested in keeping you in a smaller role next season. At the same time, if he moved on, it’s hard to imagine that the Warriors would miss him so much.