Warriors Still Winning

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.