The Golden State Warriors entered the summer as potentially one of the NBA’s most active teams with regards to both the trade and free-agent markets, but to this point it’s been all quiet on their particular Western Conference front.
Golden State has yet to add any players to the roster by any means, and the only move the organization has made is to extend a $8 million qualifying offer to restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga for the 2025-26 campaign so as to retain the right to match any offer he might receive from a competing franchise in free agency.
The only other roster movement has been the departure of three-time champion center Kevon Looney, who inked a two-year deal to join the New Orleans Pelicans.
The Warriors’ have been in the mix for former Boston Celtics forward/center Al Horford since before free agency officially began on June 30, though the fact that he hasn’t inked a deal with the team more than a week later is potentially disconcerting news for the Dubs’ offseason.
“A league source said Monday that Horford is taking his time while assessing offers from multiple teams but added that the 39-year-old is considering retirement, too,” Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe reported on July 7.
If Horford chooses to retire or go elsewhere to play his 19th season, the Warriors may have to turn to an alternative option. One possibility is Kevin Love, recently of the Miami Heat and now a member of the Utah Jazz, following a three-team trade Monday that also included the Los Angeles Clippers.
Kevin Love Doesn’t Make Sense in Utah, but Could Fit Nicely as Reserve With Golden State
GettyKevin Love (center), formerly of the Miami Heat.
Utah is a bastion for young players the Jazz hope to develop and seem all but destined to finish last in a Western Conference that is likely to see up to 12 or 13 teams attempt to make the playoffs and/or play-in tournament next season.
In other words, it’s no place for a soon-to-be 37-year-old former champion and five-time All-Star nearing the end of what is probably a Hall-of-Fame career.
League insider Kevin Fischer confirmed that notion via X following Monday’s trade.
“Kevin Love is certainly a buyout candidate in Utah,” Fischer wrote.
Love has one season remaining on his two-year, $8 million contract and currently carries a base salary of $4.15 million for 2025-26.
Kevin Love Can Add Shooting, Floor Spacing, Rebounding to Warriors’ Reserve Lineups
GettyKevin Love, formerly of the Miami Heat.
Golden State has plenty of cap space to add Love without worrying about its ability to ink Horford, particularly following a buyout, and such an acquisition makes sense in the Bay Area whether Horford ends up on the roster or not.
Aside from small-ball center Draymond Green, who is the size of a small forward, the only two centers on the Warriors’ roster are now Trayce Jackson-Davis and Quentin Post. Green and Jimmy Butler III will occupy the top two spots on the depth chart at power forward if Kuminga ends up elsewhere, and all three of them are relatively small for that position.
Love hasn’t been a regular starter since 2020-21. That said, he shoots the 3-pointer at a 37% clip for his career on nearly five attempts per game. Offensively, at least, he can fill a reserve regular-season role as a floor-spacing big in Golden State.
Love is also still a solid rebounder, particularly given the minutes he plays. He averages 10 rebounds per game for his career and averaged 6.1 and 4.1 rebounds per contest over the last two seasons on 16.8 and 10.9 minutes per night, respectively.
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