No one in the NBA wants to watch the playoffs from home. It's a different world for him and the Warriors, who have a healthy Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green since Steve Kerr arrived.
Welcome to the new world of Warriors.
Their offseason to-do list is long. Relevant questions must be answered. Some things are harder to come to terms with than others. Honestly, the biggest unsolved mystery is whether the Warriors can trust Green after having their season derailed for the second year in a row.
Kerr's emotional four-minute answer once again told us what the Warriors had already shouted before: They will live and die by Draymond, or so it seems.
With that re-established, what challenges do the Warriors face in these uncertain times? Here's the ultimate primer on his five biggest things the Warriors must address this offseason.
Clay situation
why wait? Anyone reading this knows the top storyline, as the Warriors' offseason started earlier than anyone is accustomed to. That's the future of the 34-year-old future Hall of Famer who has spent his entire career in a Warriors jersey, is a franchise icon, and is hitting unrestricted free agency at an incredibly interesting time for everyone involved.
Although Thompson's “old donut” is still on the tip of Warriors fans' tongues after going scoreless on 10 shot attempts during the Warriors' season-ending blowout loss in Sacramento, it's hard to imagine who could replace him. It's not an easy scenario to act in.
Thompson played in 77 regular season games, the most since missing two consecutive seasons with a leg injury. His 268 3-pointers this season were the fourth-most in the NBA and tied for the third-most of his career. In theory, a team like Thompson, whose 3-point shooting percentage is not wasted at 38.7%, could theoretically be used a lot.
But that includes not only what Klay provides from deep, but also his role if he returns to the Warriors.
“Eventually we moved him back into the starting lineup, but I think Klay really showed later this year that he bought into the sixth-man role,” Kerr said in his end-of-season press conference. “I think that should be an option going forward. I don't want to play 35 minutes with him.
“There were games after that, I think it was against New Orleans, and I think I played 38 minutes with him. We need to add more. I think if we get more shots and limit Klay's minutes, he can be more effective throughout the season.”
Thompson came off the bench for the first time under Kerr on February 15 against the Utah Jazz, scoring a three-point win. Thompson appeared in 63 games as a starter, averaging 17.4 points in 30.2 minutes per game, shooting 42.5 percent from deep and 37.7 percent from deep. He averaged 27.4 minutes in 14 games off the bench, but averaged 19.8 points on 46.4 percent shooting and 42.8 percent from 3-point range.
Contracts, roles, lifestyle, etc. Thompson will take everything into account this offseason. Not only do the Warriors know that Thompson's love for the Bay Area environment gives them an advantage, but the Warriors must continue to ask themselves the same questions.
All of the Warriors' offseason storylines are secondary.
Younger, longer and more athletic
After two questions, Carr was asked a follow-up question. If Klay returns in a sixth-man role, is his replacement already on the roster?
“It's very likely it's someone on the roster,” Kerr said. “I think our young players will continue to grow. I started playing Brandin for a while. [Podziemski] instead of clay. So, there is a possibility.Maybe Moses [Moody] Enter the starting lineup. ”
Mr Kerr also added in his answer: This is the NBA and we all know what happens in this league. ”
If Podzemski and Moody become in-house options, the Warriors' starting lineup will be younger and more athletic. As Thompson's first replacement, Podzemski started 28 games and averaged 9.5 points, 42.9 percent shooting, 33.7 3-point percentage, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.0 assists. Moody started nine games and scored 12.6 points on 51.9 percent shooting and 39.5 percent from 3-point range. Both offer better defensive output than Thompson at this stage of his career.
Identifying the Warriors' next starting shooting guard is just part of a larger problem. The Warriors need to be younger, longer and more athletic at every step of the roster.
“In the modern NBA, games are played so fast that I think we have to learn to play that way, too,” the Warriors' general manager told reporters last week. “This year, we struggled in transition on both fronts. Defensively, it was a matter of speed, athleticism and effort, but we just couldn't get back. Second, on the flip side, we struggled with turnovers. He wasn't able to generate much, and he wasn't able to get out in transition and show off his athleticism. [Andrew Wiggins] and [Jonathan Kuminga], [Gary Payton II] Those people.
“So we've got to figure it out and we've got to get better both ways in transition. And we're going to try to make that happen.”
The Warriors were the third-oldest team in the NBA entering the season. They led the league in rebounding, but were also the shortest team in the league. Golden State was the NBA's fifth-worst team in transition offense and sixth-worst in transition stops this season.
Kuminga Wiggins Questions
Among the in-house options the Warriors already have to get younger, longer and more athletic, Kuminga and Wiggins are likely top priorities. Golden State may have to make a choice, too.
In Kerr's answer to what would happen if Thompson returned as a permanent sixth man, he opened the door to another discussion.
“Maybe JK is showing he can play threes next to Draymond and Trayce.” [Jackson-Davis]” Carr said.
Coach Kerr's thought throughout the press conference was that he wants to see Kuminga develop into a three. Does that mean next season starts soon? Kuminga, Green and Jackson-Davis played just 18 minutes together in the regular season and had a net rating of -16.9 (90.2 offensive rating, 107.1 defensive rating). Kuminga can't work next to those two, shooting 32.1 percent from 3-point range.
And Kuminga and Wiggins did not work together this season. They played 674 minutes alongside each other and had a net rating of -0.3 with an offensive rating of 111.9 and a defensive rating of 112.2.
Wiggins and Kuminga will likely be mentioned in trade rumors for months to come until their fates are finalized. The Warriors signed Wiggins to a four-year contract extension in mid-October two years ago. It feels more like a surprise than a guarantee that Wiggins will still be a Warrior by the time next season begins.
jo lacob wallet
Kuminga is also eligible for an extension this offseason. Warriors owner Joe Lacob was enamored with Kuminga even before he selected him with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2021 draft. Jaden McDaniels' five-year, $131 million deal is already being discussed as a possible deal for Kuminga.
One thing's for sure when it comes to the Warriors' finances: Lacob isn't going to keep spending tons of money for his team to not even make the playoffs and barely make it to the play-in tournament.
“If you have a team that you think can compete for a championship, I think you'll do whatever it takes financially,” Dunleavy said. “So we're going to look at everything and balance it out. It's hard to say right now as to what that's going to look like and so on, because this is his April, this is his June, This is because it will continue in July.
“But you know Joe has the drive to spend it and compete. I don't think there's a limit, but we'll be cautious too. I mean, like we spent $400 million this year. I don't recommend putting a team in that doesn't make the playoffs.”
Chris Paul's $30 million is not guaranteed next season. Kevon Looney's $8 million contract for next season only has $3 million guaranteed. Payton has a $9.1 million player option and intends to re-sign his contract with the Warriors. Looney has been replaced in the starting lineup and Carr's entire rotation, and Payton's injury history continues to hurt him and the team alike.
Yes, Thompson's contract is the biggest problem of all. There are other financial aspects to understand as well.
help wanted
Dunleavy said the quiet parts out loud.
“Guys that are getting older, like Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, they're the best players to hang around with,” Dunleavy said of the importance of the dynasty's commitment and series success. In response to a question about knowing what is best, he said: . “They're still good at basketball. So I think it's a manageable thing. Is it difficult, yes, but I enjoy it because I think it's unique and it's doable to some extent. So let's see what happens.”
The Warriors' Big 3 is a team that will keep fighting until the lights go out with the final punch. How weakly is the light flashing already? Or is it too heavy to go back?
Curry is the last of the three remaining among the league's elite. Curry had 28 games this season in which he scored 30 or more points. The remaining Warriors have four Thompson, one Kuminga, and one Wiggins for a total of six players.
The success or failure of this team still rests on Steph's shoulders. It's also on the shoulders of a 36-year-old who looked gassed up late in the game as he tried to push himself up the standings in a relentless Western Conference with a team that intimidated no one.
Look around. Turn on the TV and watch the playoff games. These teams are full of star players in their prime, and they don't look back on memories or fool themselves in the mirror.
Seismic changes may occur. I might have to do that. Perhaps, in the eyes of decision-makers, the Warriors' next wave of development and a little tweaking may be enough.
The former feels much closer than the latter at one of the most fascinating crossroads the Warriors have faced in the past decade.
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