For some teams, such as the Golden State Warriors, finding a player to fill the 14th spot on the roster has become a nightmare. Others have found it easier to sign a veteran or other little-known player.
However, the Golden State Warriors can’t just sign any player. They must look to free agents and other players to fill a spot that could be bench-breaking during the regular season.
see also
NBA: Warriors" Chris Paul responds to bench speculation
So far, the team is solid with their veteran starters, and they now have Chris Paul, who will likely become a key player for the franchise in the upcoming 2-3 seasons. However, it’s still unclear if he will be a starter.
What options do the Warriors have for the 14th spot?
According to a recent article in The Athletic by Anthony Slater, the Warriors are doing all due diligence to find the player to fill the 14th spot. However, if they can’t find a player, their last option will be a training camp competition.
In the article, Slater cites team sources that said: “They went into free agency intent on settling two needs: an extra veteran hand in the backcourt and a reliable frontcourt option who could pass and shoot it. Cory Joseph and Šarić checked those boxes. The remaining market is pretty dry.”
The second option for the Warriors is not new. According to Slater, “…team sources indicate that the Warriors are comfortable putting their 14th spot up for grabs in a training camp competition among non-guaranteed candidates. It’s what they did with their two-way spots last October…”
NBA rules require that all teams must have 14 players on their roster before the first game of the season. After two weeks, teams can reduce their roster to 12 or fewer players.
