Golden State Warriors Waive Shaun Livingston: End Of An Era

Shaun Livingston is saying goodbye to the Golden State Warrior's 2015 Championship team. After trading Andre Iguodala to the Memphis Grizzlies last week, league sources confirm that the organization has waived its three-time champion.

The crafty guard will be joining a stacked free-agent market, with teams looking to pick up big names for the upcoming NBA season. The Warriors plan to use Shaun's waive-and-stretch provision to settle the $2 million guarantee on Livingston's $7.7 million salary for 2019-20 season.

The provision enables the Warriors to spread $666,000 over three years, keeping the team lightly under the $138.9 million tax cap.

The Warriors are looking to get younger and build around the remaining talents of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. The addition of D'Angelo Russel aims to patch up the void left by Kevin Durant's absence.

But even before Durant's arrival, Iggy and Shaun gave the Warriors the needed swagger. With their departure, Curry, Thompson, and Green were the only remaining players from their first championship run in 2015.

Acquiring Russell came at tremendous cost, but the Warriors are pressing the restart button after that tremendous championship run. Livingston will be remembered as an integral reserve for one of the greatest teams in NBA history.

Along with Andre Iguodala, both stalwarts provided solid defense off the bench. But it was Livingston's ability to create offensive opportunities that gave the Warriors their grit.

Livingston, 34, is an integral part of the Warrior's championship core. His contributions off the bench were vital to the team's three championship runs. According to ESPN, the 6-foot-7 point guard is still intent to return for his 16th season in the NBA.

He averaged four points per game this season, and his numbers have been declining as his playing time fell. Shaun is starting to show his age, but he may still land a roster spot as a trusty veteran mentoring a group of young players.

The Warriors also traded Damian Jones and a second-round pick to Atlanta for Omari Spellman. According to league sources, the deal is the latest in a series of moves from Golden State on acquiring undervalued but highly sought after talents.

It is the first time in years that the Warriors are looking over a significant revamp in their roster. In acquiring young talents, they are looking to bounce back from a disappointing finals loss against the Kawhi Leonard led Toronto Raptors.