The Golden State Warriors blew their chance to sneak into the postseason on the final day of the regular season.
The Warriors, who boasted a 33-25 lead over the Los Angeles Clippers after the first quarter, suffered a 124-119 overtime loss to the James Harden and Kawhi Leonard-led franchise on Sunday.
Golden State, the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference, will have two chances to reach the playoffs while participating in the Play-In tournament.
Considering the Dubs are unlikely to represent the Western Conference in the NBA finals, it isn’t too early to explore potential summer deals that could benefit the organization.
The Warriors may acquire an erratic ex-Los Angeles Lakers guard in free agency to assist their superstar guard, Stephen Curry.
D’Angelo Russell started the 2024-25 campaign with the Lakers. The Ohio State product, traded from the Minnesota Timberwolves midway through the 2022-23 season, was perceived as a top trade bait asset for Los Angeles before the year started.
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Russell’s inconsistent offensive play during the 2023 and 2024 postseason frustrated Los Angeles, causing the 6-foot-3 guard to enter his ninth season with immense pressure.
Russell could score 20+ points one night and, shockingly, finish with a donut the next.
On Dec. 29, the Lakers traded Russell, Maxwell Lewis, and three second-round picks to the Brooklyn Nets for Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton.
In 29 games with Brooklyn, the 29-year-old pro averaged 12.9 points and 5.6 assists per contest, shooting 36.7% from the field and 29.7% from three.
Russell is slated to be a free agent this summer, so the Warriors could target him before the offseason ends.
Russell spent 33 games with Golden State during the 2019-20 campaign before parting with the franchise before the trade deadline.
The former first-round pick averaged 23.6 points and 6.2 assists per contest, shooting 43.0% from the field and 37.4% from deep.
It’s worth noting that Russell only appeared in four games with Curry, but his familiarity with Steve Kerr’s three-point-heavy offense could soon lead to a reunion.
It’ll be fascinating to track Russell’s 2025 offseason from start to finish.
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