The Golden
State Warriors opened a new stadium with a lot of new faces though
were expected to compete for a playoff spot while they wait for Klay
Thompson to come back. Instead Steph Curry and Draymond Green got
hurt and a ton of journey man and young players are playing as the
team quickly heads to the cellar. The W’s won’t come this season but
the Warriors are still winning.
With a bunch
of duos everywhere the league has found itself with a lot more
parity. Golden State has an All-NBA duo in Thompson and Curry but now
both are hurt. How are they still winning? Because now they’ll find
themselves in the lottery. They traded their 1st round
pick to the Grizzlies but it’s top 20 protected. They’re going to
keep it and find themselves in a position to draft an impact player.
Fresh off one of the most dominant five year span we’ve ever seen
with three championships they are heading for a reload and quick
ascension back to the top of the NBA.
It’s still
early but Golden State finds themselves at 2-8, tied for the worst
record, and unlikely to move much further out of the cellar. James
Wiseman anybody? Could you imagine Wiseman with the shooters around
him? There are already some wings projected in the lottery like Deni
Avdija and Jaden McDaniels. With how well the Warriors have drafted
it doesn’t feel like that bold of a statement to say they’ll take
advantage of the lottery pick and get an impact players as opposed to
searching for just a contributor late in the draft.
With the
season likely lost it also means the team can reset physically,
important with three of their four best players hurt, but also
mentally. Golden State was always making deep runs to the Finals and
those extra games add up with you have that stretch of dominance that
can really take it out of the team. They’ll have a lot more time off
this summer. Also, the Warriors won’t be the hunted next season and
will likely come out with a chip on their collective shoulders after
an awful season.
What about the
players playing this season? It’s been well documented, regardless of
what management says, that getting D’Angelo Russell was about getting
an asset back and not losing Kevin Durant for nothing. A trade will
be coming, and could even be this season. Golden State needs wing
help and a trade that makes sense immediately is the team that wanted
him in the off season, the Minnesota Timberwolves. A rumored trade
already is Russell for Robert Covington and rookie Jarrett Culver.
That would be a 3 and D player, something the Warriors need, and a
rookie guard that was a big part in Texas Tech making it to the NCAAM
Championship. With their own lottery pick that could fill out a new
look lineup while giving them some youth for depth.
With the
injuries it just means it becomes Russell’s team for the time being
and he can really perform and up his trade value. Also, with the
Warriors actual big three out it gives management a chance to really
see what future pieces they have. Eric Paschall looks like a find
already, averaging 16.4 points and 4.2 rebounds per game. Alec Burks
has stepped up as a big guard that can score which would join
Paschall as nice combo for the second unit. Jordan Poole is getting
valuable minutes now as a rookie which will pay off for the future.
Kevin Looney has also been hurt this season and will likely be
relaxed for the season also.
The Warriors
won’t have any cap space with the contracts of Curry, Thompson and
Green but with a trade and lottery pick they will quickly find
themselves competing again for the NBA title. A potential starting
lineup of Curry, Thompson, Covington, Green and Wiseman with Culver,
Poole, Paschall and Looney as the bench unit would be pretty darn
good. The wins aren’t coming to San Francisco this season but Golden
State is still winning.