David Lee isn’t going anywhere, or at least that’s what he’s been told.
Speaking with Marc Berman of the New York Post, Lee said that the Golden State Warriors have told him they’re not shopping him and the $44-plus million left on his contract:
Caught up with David Lee at his kids camp in Chappaqua and I asked him about rumors #Warriors were shopping his
five-year contract. “From what I’m told from our people, those are not true,” Lee told me. “Of course in the offseason, everyone’s always available. But we’ll see what happens. Being in New York, I understand nothing is forever. Anybody is always capable of being moved anywhere. But I’m excited about the next couple of years with this team.’’
Can’t say I’m surprised.
For one, are players, especially fan favorites, really ever told that they’re being shopped? If you’re visibly unhappy or the pairing just isn’t working or there’s a clear cut reason behind the peddling then sure, the team will tell you. But if by most accounts, the marriage is going smoothly and both sides are happy, will they actually tell you they’re considering, or have considered, moving on?
I have my doubts. Partially because the NBA is a business. Like Lee said, with the exception of a few, everyone’s available; everyone could be had at a cost.
Mostly, though, I look to Yahoo! Sports’ Adrian Wojnarowski’s report from early July, the one that intimated the Warriors were shopping Lee, and believe that was the truth.
Woj is the closest thing to an all-knowing insider as the media has. Not all his reports come to fruition, but he has a good handle on the pulse of the league’s inner dealings. If he says the Warriors were shopping Lee, then believe it.
Of course that was back before Dwight Howard had a home, when the Warriors, along with the Los Angeles Lakers, were thought to be in the running. Golden State would have had to clear cap space somehow if it was going to acquire Dwight outside of a sign-and-trade, and moving Lee would have certainly done just that.
Once Howard signed with the Houston Rockets, there wasn’t as pressing a need to move him, especially after they were able to pawn Andris Biedrins and Richard Jefferson off on the Utah Jazz. Still, there’s no denying he’s expensive, even for a double-double machine like himself.
Stephen Curry and Andre Iguodala, in addition to Lee, are making eight figures. Bogut comes off the books after next year, but the way things are going in Oakland, the Warriors are eventually going to have hefty extensions they must sign Klay Thompson and Harrison Barnes to.
Let’s not forget they also have to replace and/or retain Bogut after next season. They could run with Lee at the 5 and go small ball everything, but if they find success this season (without trading Lee), they may not want to mess with a fecund blueprint. There’s also the torn hip flexor he suffered in the first game of the playoffs last season. If he’s not able to return to form, that contract of his appears a whole lot steeper than it already does.
So don’t rule out a Lee trade. Golden State may not actively be seeking one, nor should it, but if the right deal presents itself—the kind that saves the Warriors money and makes senses tactically—there’s no doubt they have to consider it.
Big things are happening for the Warriors as they navigate contention waters that have gone unchartered for most of recent memory. Stability is then key, but dollars and cents remain king. Which means just about anything can happen between now, next summer and the end of Lee’s contract.
Dan Favale is a firm believer in the three-pointer as well as the notion that defense doesn’t always win championships. His musings can be found at Bleacherreport.com in addition to TheHoopDoctors.com. Follow @danfavale on Twitter for his latest posts and all things NBA.
