The Golden State Warriors still have an open roster spot. They also lack size in the center of the floor, which has been an issue opposing teams have exploited throughout the season. As such, it makes sense that Mike Dunleavy Jr. could potentially look toward the free agent market to shore up Golden State’s big-man rotation.
When you’re shopping in the free agent section of the NBA market and you’re already halfway through the season, options are often limited. However, there are multiple veteran centers without a team right now, and some of them could legitimately help improve the Warriors’ defense and rebounding.
Still, a veteran minimum contract for the remainder of the season would be a low-risk, high-reward move for the Warriors, and given their current situation, it would likely be a welcomed addition. Here are three potential free agent big man targets for Dunleavy Jr and the Warriors.
Dwight Howard
Dwight Howard almost joined the Warriors during the off-season. However, the front office decided not to extend the veteran big man a contract following his workout with the team. Howard recently signed a short-term deal with Strong Group, which is a team based out of the Philippines.
Howard could provide size, rebounding, and an interior presence on offense for the remainder of the season.
Khem Birch
Khem Birch is another option for the Warriors. He last suited up for the Toronto Raptors in the 2022-23 season, playing 20 games. At 31 there is still some productivity left in the veteran big man who has made a career out of providing reliable minutes off the bench.
DeMarcus Cousins
DeMarcus Cousins recently signed a 10-day deal to play for the Taiwan Beer Leopards, in a bid to prove he’s still fit enough and talented enough to make an impact on an NBA court. Cousins previously spent some time with the Warriors, playing 30 games during the 2018-19 season. Again, he isn’t the player he once was, but he could be a serviceable big man off the bench for the second half of the season.
