The Golden State Warriors have gone through quite the offseason. Whether it’s been the loss of Kevin Durant or a number of other longtime contributors, or the addition of D’Angelo Russell, the Warriors are going to look a whole lot different by the time the 2019-20 NBA season tips off later this year.
The latest roster move made by the three-time champs involves a longtime bench contributor and a crucial peace to their various trips to the NBA Finals. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, savvy veteran guard Shaun Livingston’s time with the team will come to an end, as Golden State has decided to waive him.
Sources: Warriors are waiving guard Shaun Livingston, who is guaranteed $2M of his $7.7M salary for season. Livingston, 33, is determined to continue playing and becomes one more valuable free agent candidate for contenders. He’s won three NBA titles and reached five Finals.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 10, 2019
Golden St. will elect to use the stretch provision on Livingston- $666K cap hit over the next 3 seasons. The waive/stretch is necessary for the team to remain below the $138.9M tax apron- $219K below now. https://t.co/S5hqZg0M6l
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) July 10, 2019
Perhaps surprisingly, this does not mark the end of Livingston’s basketball career, as Woj brings word that he wants to continue trying to play. He has certainly taken a step back, especially in the last year, when Livingston wasn’t quite as steady of a hand with Golden State’s second units as he was in the past. Livingston appeared in 64 games this past season, all off the bench, and averaged four points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.8 assists in 15.1 minutes per game.
Livingston has a whole lot of value as a veteran presence in the locker room, and perhaps he can find the form that made him so crucial to the Warriors at his peak in another situation.
