Warriors’ Donte DiVincenzo has potential to be best value signing of free agency
Fresh from their fourth title in eight seasons, the Warriors’ lineup took a minor hit when the free hand began.
Though its core is still intact, Golden State lost two key rotation players to free hands when Otto Porter Jr. decided to sign with the Raptors and Gary Payton II brought his talents to his hometown Trail Blazers.
This has left the reigning champions to fill in gaps on their bench and while their young core of Jonathan Kuminga, James Wiseman and Moses Moody are expected to rise, a team with title ambitions also need win-now players to play their part for rotation.
It didn’t take the Warriors long to find their Payton replacement, as Donte DiVincenzo signed a two-year, $9.3 million deal days later to give Golden State a similar athletic presence in his backcourt.
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Less than $5 million a year for a 25-year-old guard who was drafted No. 17 in the NBA just four years ago? That sounds like it has the potential to be the best free agency signing for me.
Donte DiVincenzo’s path to the Warriors
With a 31-point performance to win the national championship in Villanova, DiVincenzo’s draft stock soared so much that the combo guard was almost picked as a lottery pick.
As a rookie, he didn’t play much for a title-contesting Bucks team, but he quickly carved a role in his sophomore season before becoming a full-time starter in Year 3.
In his last healthy season, 2020-21, DiVincenzo averaged 10.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.1 steals while shooting 42.0 percent from the field and 37.9 as Milwaukee’s shooting guard Percent shot from 3-point range.
His ability to play on or off the ball, shoot and defend at perimeter at a high level, and act as an athlete on the glass and run in transition made him a jack of all trades for the Bucks, but DiVincenzo suffered in the third game of the NBA Playoffs 2021 a serious foot injury. As a result, his fingerprints on Milwaukee’s title run weren’t what they could have been, but he’ll look to make a similar impact on this year’s defending champion.
His potential and all-around playstyle are precisely why two of the franchise’s leaders, Draymond Green and Stephen Curry, “force full press” on DiVincenzo to get to the Golden State.
“Steph and I have definitely given Donte full court press and understand how important this addition is,” Green said on The Draymond Green Podcast after the signing.
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“With losing [Payton], add another wing that can defend. Donte can shoot the ball. I think he’s going to get more open shots with us than he’s ever had before and it’s going to be absolutely incredible.
“I think he will have the opportunity to show his sporting ability. I think that’s going to be very good for Donte, and I think that’s going to be really good for the Warriors, so I’m absolutely happy to have this signing.”
What Donte DiVincenzo brings to the Warriors
DiVincenzo is 6-4, 203 pounds with a 6-6 wingspan. He’s a plus athlete with a maximum vertical jump of 42 inches, fluid speed and a confident range of shot creation skills.
He’s a career 34.7 percent 3-point shooter, and he shot a solid 38.1 percent on catch-and-shoot 3-pointers during his last fully healthy season when he played alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo. throw. As Green mentioned earlier, you have to assume he looks quality alongside the likes of Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole.
When considering his ability to fill multiple roles, just look at DiVincenzo’s career-best single-game performances in certain stat categories during his first four seasons.
| Stat | career high |
| Points | 24 |
| rebounds | fifteen |
| assists | 9 |
| 3-hand made | 6 |
| steals | 5 |
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With the ability to score 20+ points, hit double-digit rebounds, play for others, shoot from wide areas and block defensively, it’s hard not to be excited about what the Warriors’ renowned player development program can do to a player could like DiVincenzo.
He wasn’t as desirable on the open hand as one might have once expected, because his shares took a minor hit when he struggled with the Kings after being traded by the Bucks on record date.
But his time in Sacramento was an odd scenario. His agent reportedly criticized the handling of DiVincenzo, accusing the Kings’ coaches and front office of trying to “limit his value” in order to go free.
However, by the time Green and Curry called, DiVincenzo knew the Warriors were the right team for him.
“For me it was culture and environment that mattered” said DiVincenzo when asked why he chose Golden State. “If I think long-term about my career, I want to be in this league for a very long time and you just see what the Warriors have done with certain guys that have come in.
“Look at Otto last year, you look at yourself [Payton]they did a great job developing these guys.”
DiVincenzo appears to be the next diamond in the rough in a dynasty that seems far from over.