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The Golden State Warriors haven’t had the smoothest ride in this year’s NBA free agency. So far, they haven’t signed any new players, and they still haven’t figured out what they’re doing with young talent Jonathan Kuminga. For fans, that’s starting to feel like… a lot of waiting and not much action.
One of their main targets is veteran big man Al Horford. He’d be a solid addition, not a total game-changer, but definitely a good move in the right direction. Rumors say Horford is likely to join the Warriors, but there’s no official deal yet, which is making fans nervous.
Things got even more tense when news broke that Jonas Valanciunas (a centre just picked up by the Denver Nuggets) was considering leaving the NBA to play in Europe. Why does that matter for the Warriors? Because if he did leave, the Nuggets would suddenly have more money, enough to try and grab Horford themselves, possibly outbidding the Warriors.
But then, ESPN insider Shams Charania shared some calming news:
The Nuggets told Valanciunas they’re keeping him and want him to stay put as Jokic’s backup. That means Denver probably won’t go after Horford after all.
What does that mean for the Warriors?
They’re still in the best spot to sign Horford, and now they don’t have to worry about the Nuggets stealing him away.
The Warriors haven’t made any big moves yet, but signing Horford would be a good first step as they try to build a strong team around Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler. It’s not a blockbuster deal, but it’s part of the puzzle.
Let’s just hope they don’t stay stuck in “waiting mode” for too long.