Why the Warriors and Shaun Livingston won the first day of free agency
On an opening day of free agency that saw the Cavs lock up their young All-Star and the Wizards re-sign Marcin Gortat, Shaun Livingston agreeing to terms on a three-year contract with the Warriors is the most immediately impactful move of the day when considering Golden State’s presence as a fringe contender.
Outside of basketball, Livingston earning a three-year contract worth up to $16 million is an awesome, feel-good story after the guard bounced around Miami, Oklahoma City, Washington, Charlotte, Milwaukee, Cleveland and Brooklyn following a gruesome knee injury with the Clippers during the 2006-07 season. From an on-court perspective, it should be a feel-good story for the Warriors, too.
The Warriors may not need any more scoring from their guard positions, but defense and playmaking are always welcomed additions - and the team has certainly found that in Livingston.
He’s a pass-first point guard who can see over the defense thanks to his 6-7 frame, often makes the right play using that court vision, and can take smaller guards into the post and score inside. He can’t shoot whatsoever, but he’s aware of his offensive limitations, attempted 64 percent of his shots within 10 feet of the rim in 2013-14 (35.9% of his shots came within three feet), according to Basketball Reference, and the Warriors aren’t exactly short on floor spacing.
Defensively, Livingston’s length on the perimeter makes him one of the game’s better defenders at the guard positions, and he can seamlessly transition between the point and the two-spot.
If he’s been acquired to complement the backcourt of Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, then Livingston’s arrival should only improve a 51-win team, and if Livingston’s arrival makes including Thompson in a potential trade easier - say for Kevin Love - then the Warriors could be a move away from full blown title contention.
Financially, the only risk in paying Livingston $16 million is his health, but consider that he’s still only 28-years-old, suited up for a career-high 76 games for the Nets this past season while starting 54 of them, and has actually played in 87.5 percent of possible games over the last four seasons (273 out of 312), which works out to over 71 games per 82. Add in the fact that the third and final year of the contract is reportedly only partially guaranteed, and it’s hard to find a single fault with this agreement.
Bigger names have made the news on the first day of free agency, but no team has made a better move than the Warriors signing Shaun Livingston.