Jermaine O'Neal became a fan-favorite in his brief stint with Golden State last season, so it isn't a huge surprise that the Warriors are interested in bringing him back as a free agent in time for their playoff run.
According to ESPN's Tim McMahon, the Warriors are one of four contenders known to be interested in O'Neal, with the Dallas Mavericks, Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Clippers also in play for the 36-year-old big man.
Right now, the Warriors aren't leading the race for O'Neal. The 19-year NBA veteran is currently living in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area, and the Mavericks have an open spot on their roster for a big man after giving up Brandan Wright to acquire Rajon Rondo. With Dallas now emerging as a serious player in the West, prying him away from the Mavs won't be easy.
O'Neal won't make his decision until 2015, and we're a few weeks away from a definitive answer. With Golden State currently without both Andrew Bogut (knee) and David Lee (hamstring), the Warriors have some minutes available in their frontcourt...but both players could return before O'Neal is ready to make a decision. While the fans in Golden State would love to see O'Neal retire as a Warrior, there's a lot that has to happen before that looks like a likely outcome.
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