Programming note: Watch the Warriors take on the Blazers tonight at 7:30 p.m. PT, streaming live on the MyTeams app.
The Warriors have an open roster spot. But you knew that already.
What we don't yet know is how they are going to fill the position. Are they only looking at centers, or is a wing a higher priority? What if a point guard is there for the taking?
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The reality is that the Warriors don't yet know which direction they will go.
“We always have lists. We always have contingency plans,” Golden State assistant GM Kirk Lacob explained on 95.7 The Game. “You never know what’s going to happen in the NBA -- who might get bought out as a surprise, who you think might (become available).
“And I think for a while we have focused on a center because we just weren’t sure how quickly DeMarcus was going to come back or if the rest of our players were going to hold up over the course of the season.
“And now we’re at the point where I think we’ve got 13 healthy bodies who all look pretty good. Unfortunately, Damian Jones is not healthy and I think we’re going to wait and see a little bit.
Golden State Warriors
“We don’t want to commit to something before we know what’s going to happen with our roster. You never know what could happen — there could be an injury or a slump or anything — and so we want to keep our options open."
It's important to keep in mind that a lot of this is out of the Warriors' control. They can't dictate the buyout market. Certain guys who Golden State would love to sign might not be interested in joining the two-time defending champions because there isn't a lot of playing time available.
The Warriors would have welcomed Wesley Matthews with open arms, but he chose to sign with Indiana. The free-agent-to-be is looking for a nice payday in July and the Pacers guaranteed him a starting role.
"That’s huge," he told the Indianapolis Star earlier this week. "That’s how I view myself and that’s how this organization views me. That’s big right there."
Additionally, timing is a key variable in all of this. As Lacob mentioned, the Warriors have a list of potential targets and they want to be in position to strike. But if the player who is third on the wish list becomes available and wants to sign with the Dubs, do they immediately reach a deal or wait to see if the front office's No. 1 target is bought out?
These are the kinds of questions that management and ownership will be discussing over the coming days and weeks.
“Our goal is to add a really good player — someone who fits in the locker room, who fits this team and just really wants to be part of a championship run and will understand their role," Lacob added. "So, we’re open to really anything.
"We’ve got a long list of potential players that could fit that and we’re just going to hope that somebody springs free and is available for us.”
Drew Shiller is the co-host of Warriors Outsiders. Follow him on Twitter @DrewShiller