In less than two weeks, the 2019-2020 NBA season will resume and one team, which for five consecutive years had monopolized the Finals with its appearance, is now on unfamiliar grounds, at the outside looking in.
In a gloomy debut season at their state-of-the-art Chase Arena, the Golden State Warriors (GSW) showed a league-worst 15-50 record when the coronavirus suspended play last March. GSW started the season with a healthy Stephen Curry and with seven new faces on the lineup, but without Klay Thompson who was out with a torn ACL. Curry only played five games after injuring his hand.
There were significant roster changes on the Warriors that the team doesnât look familiar from the 2019 Finals cast. When the 2020-2021 season opens, GSW will have the Splash Brothers healthy and start alongside Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green and probably Kevon Looney. Key reserves will be Jordan Poole, Eric Paschall, Damion Lee, and Marquese Chriss.
Surely, the Warriors will be focusing on the draft this coming October where they have at least a top five pick and use a $17.2 million trade exception they got from the Andre Iguodala trade in the free agency for a veteran presence.
The Warriors dynastic run had Shaun Livingston and Iguodala either playing backup or alongside Curry. Livingston is enjoying the retired life while Iggy will try to heat things up in Miami. There is a need for GSW to fill this vacancy and they are reportedly eyeing Michael Carter-Williams (MCW).
Poole is the only legit backup to Curry but the Warriors need a much steadier one and 6â6â MCW fits nicely, whose playing style is like that of Livingston. The 28-year old 2014 ROY was doing well as a backup guard in Orlando averaging 7.2 points and 3.3 rebounds off the bench.
Another guard worth the $17.2m for GSW would be Ricky Rubio, who is a great passer and a good defender. This would be the most ideal situation for Coach Steve Kerr. He will have a dominant small ball lineup of Rubio alongside the Splash Brothers with Green and Wiggins. Iâm not a Warrior fan but I’m simply thrilled of this possibility.
But Rubio had given Devin Booker the needed breathing space in Phoenix and the Suns could require from the Warriors their top pick in addition to the trade exception for Rubio to go to the Bay Area./PN
