The Warriors will look a whole lot different in 2020/21 than they did in 2019/20, as Splash Brothers Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson get healthy and return to action after missing most – or, in Thompson’s case, all – of the past season.
In addition to getting those two stars back, Golden State expects to make more changes to its roster this offseason, perhaps with a focus on adding size and athleticism, head coach Steve Kerr said this week on The Athletic’s TK Show with Tim Kawakami.
“I think we need to be more athletic, for sure,” Kerr said, as Drew Shiller of NBC Sports Bay Area relays. “We’re obviously very skilled. But we don’t have an overly athletic team. We’ve lost a lot of bounce and a lot of pop on the wings — even at the center position. (So) right now, we’re not big enough or athletic enough to get where we want to be.
“But we all know that. We have the draft and we have free agency to address all that stuff. And potential trades,” Kerr continued. “I think (president of basketball operations) Bob (Myers) would be the first to tell you this roster is far from being finished.”
Despite being capped-out for 2020/21, the Warriors have several interesting assets at their disposal, including the No. 2 overall pick in the draft and a $17MM+ trade exception.
[RELATED: Various Ways Warriors Could Use Trade Exception]
The club will also have the taxpayer mid-level exception (worth approximately $5.72MM) available in free agency and could dangle future draft picks – such as Minnesota’s top-three protected 2021 first-rounder – in trade talks.
The Warriors are typically aggressive when it comes to pursuing roster upgrades, so with all those assets on hand, Kerr’s assertion that the roster is a work in progress comes as no real surprise.
Still, as Shiller observes, it’s a good sign for any fans be worried about the impact the coronavirus pandemic might have on Golden State’s willingness to spend. Based on Kerr’s comments, it doesn’t sound as if the team will prioritize cost-cutting moves or be content to stand pat this fall.
Warriors have 5 rotation players as of now
Will add 5 more good players
I predict that Wiggins will be traded to shed salary.
The key to success
Trade all 8 draft picks next two years
Lol don’t understand how basketball fans can still not understand how the NBA works, there’s no “shedding salary” every good team works above the cap and perhaps he’d be included in a trade for a better player making similar money but that’s it
Why would trading Wiggins to shed salary matter? They still will be in cap hell and even before COVID he was on a terrible contract. There is no way to shed that contract without giving up so much in other assets it makes trading him not even worth it.
That’s why a Giannis trade is so absurd to even believe in ! Teams would want both pick 2 and the wolves pick just to take Wiggins while sending nothing of value back!
Also supposedly wolves are not finding much trade interest in pick 1 so stands to reason teams aren’t going all out to try and trade value to warriors for pick 2
How would Wiggins shed salary? Two ways: 1) trade him into somebody else’s cap room; 2) trade him for a shorter term contact (even Horford has the 4th year only partially guaranteed and if they could use the Igoudala trade exception for another wing, Wiggins for Horford makes some sense).
Problem is Wiggins is a better player than Horford so that means the warriors get a couple draft picks included.
Warriors don’t care about luxury tax. They will add salary if they could if they thought it would help them win. Shouldn’t comment on teams you don’t follow. At least I don’t.
Good players being a relative term of course. More like better than what they have in Poole, Bowman, Spellman, Chriss, and Evans.
Harden you need to update your web browser. Spellman and Evans were traded at the deadline in February.
Steph, Klay, Dray, Wiggins, Lee, Chriss, Paschall, Looney.
All of those guys, assuming they don’t get traded, are Warriors rotation players.
Can’t wait to see steve Kerr get exposed. Fraud of coach just like doc rivers had 4 hall of famers. I predict a 7th or 8th seed team at best.
fraud? you do know he made a finals and won a ring before kd came when klay and curry were their best player. if they are even half the players they were warrios will be a top 5 team. you cant count out klay and curry.
I can’t believe people are brainwashed to actually believe this. Must have been the medias fluffing of Curry during those years. Warriors dont have the talent to be a top 5 team. Curry and Klay are totally washed. Draymond makes 25 million to get 4 field goals a game on a good day. Wiggins is the most one dimensional player in the sport who has a terrible contract. Their fans act like a 17 mil trade exception will get them Giannis lol. Warriors era has been over since KD got hurt.
You act like a team that went to five straight finals in the last 6 years suddenly forgot how to play basketball. People have such a short memory. That’s good in relationships but bad in sports. Then watch when the Warriors make several shrewd trades and signings you’ll say oh that’s not fair they came over to chase rings. Yeah well they know the right team to come to to chase a ring LOL.
Yes there are a year older but they’re not five years older. Yes they’ve suffered big injuries, but they didn’t retire and quit. We’ll just have to see how this next season plays out. To me it’ll be interesting. I’m not predicting the Warriors are guaranteed Champions or even guaranteed top 4 seed home court in the West. But it definitely will be interesting. Ownership is not afraid to spend and that’s a big-time advantage. Warriors fans are fortunate to have an owner like that after years of terrible Cohen.
They didnt forget out to play. The west got better and KD left. What made the Warriors unstoppable was the 2nd best player in his prime joining that roster in 2016. Years have passed since then and KD is gone. They are just another team in the west at this point.
The Blazers and Jazz and Rockets are like “just another team in the West.” Warriors will be better than that.
Warriors will be slightly better than those teams. My prediction is a 5-6 seed.
I think that’s probably accurate. I’d be happy with that so I would say I’m hoping for that lol. It is pretty tough to come back after a year off of anything. And then they have to meld in any new guys they acquire. It won’t be easy.. 5 or 6 seed I think is appropriate expectation.
@GoLandCrabs
You seem to be the most down to earth when it comes to assessing the Warriors. They are definitely not the dominating force they once were without KD and with Klay/Curry coming off of major injuries.
At the same time, they are still a playoff team and should receive a middling seed as you mentioned.
I would break the west down into tiers. Here’s how I anticipate things play out:
Tier 1 (Title Contenders): Lakers, Clippers, Nuggets
Tier 2 (Competitive Playoff Teams With a Chance to Make a Run): Mavericks, Warriors, Trailblazers
Tier 3 (Playoff Caliber): Rockets, Jazz, Pelicans
Tier 4 (Fringe Postseason Contenders): Grizzlies, Suns, Thunder
Tier 5 (Rebuilding, Aging, or Direction less): Wolves, Spurs, Kings
I could be wrong, but that’s how I personally perceive the western conference unfolding next season
Crabs, one year ago….
Warriors swept blazers in conference finals. Draymond AVERAGED a triple double. Curry vs Lillard was no contest. NO DURANT!
4 game sweep.
Triple double average by Green.
No durant.
Curry blew away Lillard.
ONE year ago. “Years have passed”, your words.
Today was national Fluffernutter Day that’s why these dopes know nothing about the game my grand daddy taught me.
Paschal and 3 picks for a good player
Looney and 3 picks for a good player
Wolves Picks and 17m TPE for a good player
2nd picks trade for a good player
Trade MLE at trade deadline for a good player
Add picks
Paschal and 3 picks better bring a great player. A starting payer that can dominate.
Rudy Gay makes sense with the trade exception,Myers Leonard with the MLE…
Kerr led GSW to an NBA record for wins & 3 titles, originating an open offense that used players that had never won before. (Bogut had 1 other winning season, Iguodala 2 before & 1 since. Livingston & Speights were mediocre journeymen. None had a title-winning rep. The starters were young.)
Saying “fraud” is just homerism gone awry and makes readers dumber for reading it. No comparison to Rivers get real. Rivers is the inheritor. Kerr created.
Very well said. Where’d you get that from? Where’d you read it? Just kidding I know those are your thoughts I’m just trying to be funny. Again, very well said.
Had to go through Bas.Ref. records. Pretty surprised— like it needs a recheck. Better recheck. 1 error.
Winning-losing seasons before and after Warrior experience :
By minutes on 2014-15 (first title) team:
1,2,3 Curry, Thompson & Green, all at GSW.
4 Harrison Barnes 0-0 before, 0-4 after.
5 Andre Iguodala 3-5 before, 1-0 after.
6 Andrew Bogut 1-6 before, 1-2 after.
7 Shaun Livingston. 2-7 before, 0-0 after.
Not a group to expect leadership from!— HC must be a winner.
Warriors are going to win the West. No one is deeper. It’s amazing how the wagoners lose sight. Wiggins probably gets moved. Did you read the story. They have TE (17 mill), ME (5.5 mill), 2nd pick in draft. Future picks and Wiggins to move. They can redo this nicely around their three all stars. Who have won Finals than all your teams combined in last six yrs. Curry us oldest one at 32. They are going to new arena. Plenty of vets will take minimum to chase a ring. So why exactly makes you think they are going away. I’m don’t even like Warriors. But they got a 3-4 yr window. You can bet it all they will go for it.
Wake up !!!!
They lost in Finals with no KD n on Klay. They blew out Rockets without KD. This team knows how to win. They will challenge for next 4 yrs.
I’ve always liked you Al.
And not a hater but lets be honest Draymond is not a star and looked pretty terrible this year –
I have this feeling they get Ben Simmons and it all works wonderfully for them
Kerr needs 3 to 4 All- Stars on the floor to compete.
Triple-singles all around ……… Kerr got exposed this season.
Missing his first and second best players and a roster of players who hadn’t played together much…LOL “exposed”.
He had a GL team, and they competed.
Breaking through after given the talent is a major coaching hurdle. Compare to Brad Stevens.
But he wasn’t given the talent as considered at the time… they weren’t that good until they were.
Read my post, the GSW players were made with him at the helm.
I still think that taking wiggins isntead of covington for DLo was a huuuge mistake. Covington fits perfectly with this GSW roster, while wiggins making 34 mil/yr shouldve required 2 firsts just to move off him. Wolves made out like robbers in that trade
Not sure that was possible. Both fit, but RoCo takes less capspace.
Only team I could fathom taking Wiggins is Toronto. But he’s a 6/7th man there. And that’s ALOT of money for a bench piece. No matter how good that bench piece is
Isnt Wiggins just another Pascal though?
I dont know if that would provide the best spacing in todays game which is so important
Also I realy think Tor wants to stay fluid financially for the 20% chance they land Giannis the year after