The Warriors’ priority this NBA offseason is in place.

The Warriors’ priority this NBA offseason is in place.

Golden State’s “high priority” in the opening hours of free agency is signing a stretch center, with veteran Al Horford surging as a “preferred target,” The Athletic’s Anthony Slater reported Monday, citing league sources. 

While adding a stretch center is Golden State’s priority, Jonathan Kuminga’s restricted free agency is the biggest question the Warriors have to answer this offseason, and as Slater noted, adding a free agent could complicate general manager Mike Dunleavy’s workflow. 

“If the Warriors use the taxpayer midlevel exception (projected at around $5.7 million) on Horford or another free agent, they’ll be hard-capped at the second apron, currently projected at $207.8 million,” Slater wrote. 

“The Warriors currently have nine players under contract at $170.5 million. Kuminga’s qualifying offer, extended over the weekend by the Warriors, is $7.9 million, but his cap hold is $22.9 million, further clogging the Warriors’ books if his situation drags deeper into July.”

In addition to Slater, NBA insider Marc Stein reported in his latest Substack, citing league sources, the Warriors’ interest in Horford. 

Before the NBA’s Feb. 6 trade deadline, Golden State was the team most interested in trading for Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vučević.