A number of veteran players have suddenly become available as free agents this offseason, with the Golden State Warriors showing interest but missing out on All-Star guards Damian Lillard and Bradley Beal.

Marcus Smart is the latest player to have executed a buyout to become a free agent, with the veteran guard set to sign a two-year deal with the Los Angeles Lakers. It’s a notable and previously unforeseen addition for the Lakers, providing them with a former Defensive Player of the Year who could step in and immedietly average over 25 minutes per game next season.

Smart may have dealt with injury injuries over the past two seasons, but he does change the complexion of the Lakers if the 31-year-old can return to somewhere near his best. It does beg the question, can the Warriors — as a team in a similar tier of the Western Conference — get their hands on a surprise player through similar means?

Can the Warriors be a player in the buyout market?

Having not made a single move since the start of free agency three weeks ago, the Warriors still have at least five roster spots to fill over the remainder of the offseason. They’ve subsequently been linked to a number of remaining free agents, most notably Al Horford and De’Anthony Melton who are expected to sign once Jonathan Kuminga’s future is resolved as a restricted free agent.

Horford and Melton could certainly become important 25-minute per game players for Golden State next season, but beyond that the free agent market isn’t flush with starter-level type pieces that are going to be huge difference-makers.

The Warriors have been linked to the likes of Malcolm Brogdon, Seth Curry, Ben Simmons and Trey Lyles among the remaining group of free agents, but none of those are likely to become starters or average beyond 20 minutes per game.

Is there someone who’s not currently a free agent that surprisingly becomes available through a buyout? It may be considered unlikely, but it’s not inconceivable based on the buyouts we’ve already seen in recent weeks.

It’s hard to speculate who that might be, but it will almost assuredly be a veteran player on a rebuilding team with an expiring contract. The Washington Wizards are certainly a team to monitor based on their Smart buyout, with a potential on the future of veteran forward Khris Middleton.

Golden State no longer have interest in trading for veteran center Nikola Vucevic on a $21.5 million expiring contract, but that could change if the 2x All-Star finalized a buyout with the Chicago Bulls and became a free agent.

Whoever it may be, a surprising buyout could help change the Warriors’ fortunes this offseason as they look to close the gap between themselves and the tier above them in the West.