The Golden State Warriors were spiraling last season before acquiring Jimmy Butler prior to the trade deadline. After the trade, they finished the season 23-8, and went to the second round of the playoffs. They lost to the Timberwolves in five games, but that was without Stephen Curry, who had an injured hamstring.
The Warriors have largely stood pat this offseason, as they are the only team in the league to make any moves with free agents. This includes their months-long standoff with restricted Jonathan Kuminga, who doesn’t want to return to Golden State but may be forced to take the qualifying offer. Their core of Curry, Butler, and Draymond Green is intact, but is it enough?
Golden State risks falling behind in a stacked Western Conference
While the Warriors have been quiet, the teams around them in the West have been engaged in a mini arms race of sorts. The Thunder are the defending champions. The Nuggets pushed them to seven games, and they got better, adding Cam Johnson, Tim Hardaway Jr., and others.
The Rockets acquired Kevin Durant. The Clippers added Bradley Beal and John Collins. The Lakers, Mavericks, and Timberwolves boast star power. Even the Spurs led by Victor Wembanyama are coming. The West is going to be an absolute bloodbath once again.
Golden State banking on just running it back and having better injury luck isn’t the best strategy. Curry, Butler, and Green are all at least 35 years old. They have a glaring lack of size after the departure of Kevon Looney. They could use another scoring wing, especially one that is less volatile than Kuminga and a better fit.
As currently constructed, the Warriors won’t finish with a top six seed
That is why it was a little shocking to see them so inactive, especially with other teams in the West making big moves. With their older core, they should be going for it. Curry and Green have both not been shy about making one last run at a championship, so Golden State has to take advantage of this window.
The Warriors are projected to be one of the best defensive teams in the league with Butler and Green, and Curry has shown that he is an ageless wonder. They do need some more size in the frontcourt and maybe another versatile piece for their bench, but they should be able to compete for a playoff spot in the West.
With this older core though, that isn’t good enough. The question is, do they have enough to compete for a championship?
