The last hurrah

The probability of Shaun Livingston being a Warrior in August 2019: 10%

Shaun Livingston is a name often forgotten in the shuffle of the Warriors roster. But he’s been there from the beginning of this run and played a valuable role backing up both Steph Curry and Andre Iguodala. His veteran presence, basketball IQ, and reliable turnaround jumper have made him an underrated part of this dynasty.

But he’s the most likely casualty of the coming salary cap crunch. Only around $2m of his $8m 2019-20 salary is guaranteed. The Warriors will almost certainly stretch and waive that money to reduce their bills. With young players like new draft pick Jacob Evans, and possibly Patrick McCaw, waiting in the wings this is probably Livingston’s last hurrah with the team.

There is, of course, a chance he sticks around if others go. But even if Durant leaves, waiving Livingston’s final year salary will help the Warriors. That $8m may even be the difference between being in the luxury tax or not, and in that situation, the Warriors would be wise to duck under the line, as it would postpone any repeater tax penalties for at least another couple of years.

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