When the Warriors stormed back from a 2-0 series deficit to beat the Kings in the first round of the 2023 playoffs, it seemed like they might still be able to walk the tightrope of winning now while building for later.īut after losing to the Lakers in the Western Conference semifinals, the Warriors enter a critical offseason. The stumbles led the team to trade Wiseman for Payton, who had signed with Portland last summer, as Golden State’s front office attempted to rectify its problems on the fly. The defending champs finished the season sixth in the Western Conference, with uncharacteristically shoddy defense and an 11-30 record on the road. The organization believed it could follow the blueprint of previous dynasties like the Spurs of the 2000s, with Poole and the rest of the Golden State youth movement ready to both support the current stars and guide the franchise into the future.īut the 2022-23 season never quite went according to plan, and the team struggled to find its footing amid injuries, poor play, and inconsistency. They signed Poole to a four-year, $123 million extension and allowed key contributors like Otto Porter and Payton to walk in free agency, opening up minutes for the team’s young prospects. Following their title, the Warriors leaned further into the two-timeline strategy. Curry, Green, and Thompson led the Warriors to their fourth title in eight seasons, and Poole put together a breakout year, averaging 18.5 points and four assists, and carving out a meaningful role in the playoff rotation. That approach appeared to be blossoming last year. “We’ve been in fantasyland for so long, and this year was more like the real NBA.” -Andre Iguodala Several years of team-building decisions have depleted Golden State’s roster, and now the franchise finds itself painted into a corner that even Curry and Co. But now, after a second-round elimination at the hands of LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers, the Warriors face more uncertainty than they have in a decade. Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson have guided the franchise to the top of the NBA landscape, building a dynasty comparable to the likes of the Spurs, Bulls, and Celtics. Historically, whenever the Warriors have found themselves at a crossroads, the organization has leaned on its pillars. There is still plenty in the tank there.” “The one thing I will say is that Draymond, Klay, Steph, our core guys, they’ve got plenty left to offer. “I think it is probably too raw right now for me to think about,” Kerr responded. Twenty minutes after purple and gold confetti rained on the end of Golden State’s season, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr was asked about his team’s immediate future.
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