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We have entered a new era of Golden State Warriors basketball, more or less. The Curry Dynasty is not over yet, as he remains the star of the team and an MVP-level talent. But the monster we once knew no longer exists in its former form.
Most of the 73-win team is over. Outside are Kevin Durant and Andre Iguodala, 40% of the Hamptons Five. All the old banking teams are gone. Klay Thompson remains but will miss the entire season through injury, again. Only four players from the 2019 Finals team will enter the court in 2021 (Click here for Opening Day roster).
The Warriors are probably still good. They could even be great! Heck, it can’t be said for sure that they won’t rise from the ashes and win another championship, like the phoenix that, ironically, Suns fans will never be able to see.
But before we get our hopes up, there are questions to answer first.
Can Curry still be MVP?
We already know that Steph curry can do. At his peak, he had the best offensive season the league has ever seen or is likely to see, winning the only unanimous MVP in history, with a combination of extreme volume, impossible efficiency and video game range.
But now Curry is 32 years old and has played exactly five NBA games since June 2019. None of that means he’s cooked, but none of that helps either.
Furthermore, he has never been more alone on the court. We know you can win an MVP without Kevin Durant on your team, but we’ve never seen him play without Klay thompson, which is out for the year. We almost got a sneak peek of a fully unleashed Steph last season, but then he got hurt right away.
Can Curry step back, stay healthy, fight for an MVP, and lead the Dubs into another ring? Of course he can. Will? Only time will tell.
Is there enough deep shot?
Steph is the best marksman in the history of the sport and also in the current league. That is a good start. What else do we have?
Without Klay, we can’t just assume that 3-point shooting is a strength at Golden State. Kelly Oubre takes his place, but his 35.2% depth last season was by far his personal record. Andrew Wiggins It has its favorable spots beyond the arc, but overall it’s a 33% run out of three, with a high of 35.6% four years ago. Draymond Green’s Success in this department is measured by the few attempts you are forced to make, not by the speed at which you sink them.
There is not zero firing in the starting lineup, but there’s no second Splash Brother sort of joining Steph.
Ah, but there may be hope in the bank. Kent Bazemore is 35% for his career and almost surpassed 40% a couple of years ago, and the sophomore Jordan poole He showed his potential at times last season despite ugly overall numbers. Damion Lee he’s at 36.5% with a decent volume in a season’s game value for his career at Dubs, and Brad Wanamaker He doesn’t hoist often, but he hits a lot when he tries (37.6% in his career with 1 shot per game). And who knows if this is the year that Kevon looney it finally begins to show its deep, long-rumored stroke.
It’s not certain that the Warriors have enough shots, but it is absolutely possible and there are several different paths they could take to get there. Maybe one of the initial wings breaks off in a change of scenery with extra space created by Curry’s gravity. Perhaps one of the bench guards locks himself in as the next dangerous sniper. Maybe Looney is going crazy. Maybe everyone is pretty good across the board, and collectively they far exceeded the NBA average of 35.8% from last year.
What will they get from the rookie Wiseman?
The Warriors pulled out the second overall pick in the draft this summer, which was a throwback sensation for Dubs fans after nearly a decade of nonstop playoff disputes. It’s also a rare opportunity for top-tier premium talent to join a team that already has multiple All-Stars, as the Warriors’ poor 2020 was based on short-term injuries and not long-term lack of skill. term.
But what will the Dubs really get from their new rookie, downtown? James Wiseman? Will he be immediately successful and earn his spot in the starting lineup? It takes a while to develop, but does he eventually become a productive rotation player? Does it completely shut down like many prospects do every year?
Golden State has other options at the center, so Wiseman doesn’t have to become a star right away. But it sure would help if he could at least contribute this season.
What role players will work?
However, Wiseman is not the only untested player in the group, nor are the aforementioned bench shooters Lee and Poole.
How about big man Mark Chriss? It looked promising last season, but it was a small taste and basically every minute the Warriors played throughout the year was technically garbage time. Is he going to fulfill his original lottery draft stock or will he fade away like he did with his previous three teams?
How about ahead Eric Paschall? He had a good rookie year on a terrible team, but how will he perform on more limited opportunities at a quality club?
With the starting lineup weakened, the bench will have to contribute at least something this season. Even a Prime Curry won’t be able to do it alone. It would be helpful if a couple of these names (Lee, Poole, Paschall, Chriss, Wiseman) could make the leap from potential to proven.
And even beginners have a similar question. Who Andrew Wiggins, exactly? Perhaps this entire section really should have been about him, given his relatively higher star potential and equally unpredictable future. If the 25-year-old athlete, former No. 1 overall pick, off the charts finally achieves his long-awaited step into coach Steve Kerr’s system, with improved lateral defense and more efficient scoring than he showed in his first six NBA games. seasons, then it could have a bigger impact than anyone else mentioned in the previous paragraph.
Can they stay healthy?
All teams in all sports must address this issue. But it is not always as serious a problem as here.
A future Hall of Famer is already out of action. Another, the team’s MVP, was limited to just five games last year, by a completely different part of the body (hand) than the one that always makes us nervous (ankle). The third superstar has already missed the first game of the season with a bothersome foot injury, which is not yet serious but is not a promising start to the campaign either. (And then there’s Looney, who’s always a headline away from mysteriously disappearing forever, given his trouble with nerve damage.)
All teams can get hurt. But not all teams have specific, important and looming concerns like these for their top three stars, with one member of the trio already ruled out entirely.
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Yes, I know I didn’t ask if Draymond was back in shape. That’s because I’m not the least bit worried about him, other than health. Did I miss any other key questions? Ask in the comments!
