GM Dunleavy: Warriors open to options in draft, free agency, but getting older ‘unlikely’

SAN FRANCISCO – From big free agent signings, to huge trades, to staying the coursewith the No. 11 pick, Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. did not want to rule out any possibilities before next week’s NBA draft.

“Everything’s on the table, but yeah, it’s a really good draft,” Dunleavy said during Wednesday’s press conference at Chase Center.

The Warriors have their highest selection since drafting Jonathan Kuminga seventh overall in 2021, but their offseason will be equally defined by what they do in free agency and in trades.

Golden State has been linked to free agents such as LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard, two veterans who would represent win-now moves for a team that missed the playoffs last season.

For James to take his talents to the Bay Area, he would have to accept a massive pay cut. The Warriors would also be expected to pare down enough salary to be eligible to use the $15 million non-taxpayer midlevel exception.

The Warriors already have Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler on maximum salaries.

“It’s a give and take, but I think it’s something we’ll look at,” Dunleavy said. “It definitely gives us some spending power in the free agency pool, but it also comes with some limitations, so we just need to be careful.”

But bringing in a player in their mid-to-late 30s is not high on their priority board.

“If it means getting older, then we’ll do it, but that’s pretty unlikely,” Dunleavy said. “There’s only so many guys I feel like we could bring in that are older. We’ve got some guys on the back end of it already, and to add to that, there would definitely be some risk. Maybe there’s a situation where we do that and go for it. We obviously would prefer to get younger.”

They have also been constantly linked to Milwaukee forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is a top-five player when healthy and is considered a lock to leave the Bucks this summer.

Though unable to mention the future Hall of Famer or any othernon-Warriors player by name, Dunleavy promised the team will leave no stone unturned when it comes to adding talent.

“I feel like as strong as this draft is, we should probably come out of this draft with a player,” Dunleavy said, before making a caveat. “Unless, if something falls into our lap trade-wise with a veteran guy that we really think can make a difference, we’ll certainly look at it and potentially do it.”

Bringing in new talent is only one part of the Warriors’ offseason plans. Retaining players is also on his checklist.

Kristaps Porzingis is an unrestricted free agent, and De’Anthony Melton and Al Horford could also decline their player options to become free agents, too.

“I’ve had conversations with all of our free agents, their representatives,” Dunleavy said. “I think we’re in a good place with all of them.”

Draymond Green also has a player option but is expected to return.

Whether that is on a one-year option, or on a renegotiated contract that brings him back on a longer deal with a smaller per-year number, remains to be determined.

The Warriors are also expected to sign Steph Curry to an extension in August with an average annual value of more than $60 million.

Dunleavy said that the coaching staffhas yet to fill the positions of top assistants Terry Stotts and Jerry Stackhouse, who won’t return for next season.

The Warriors’ top priority is figuring out the draft, where the Warriors will be choosing a player using a “best player available” philosophy when the first round kicks off on Tuesday.

“I think we’re in a good spot where, frankly, we need everything,” Dunleavy said. “So we don’t need to be picky about this thing. I think we’ll take whoever we feel is the best player kind of for the next — this arc of their prime of their career that they will be coming into shortly.”