Having a Super Star in his prime on your team is rare and not often experienced by an NBA franchise. Having one of the 10 greatest players to ever touch a baseball, the greatest player at his position in the history of the game, and a 36-year-old still at the top of his game? It’s 1/1. It’s very hard to not build a competitive roster around this player, and it’s even harder to make his impact seem invisible at times. Somehow, the Golden State Warriors front office and coaching staff have managed that. They’ve managed to burn Stephen Curry out.
The Warriors have a good roster. They have a really great, all-time great coach. Really. It’s not a Damian Lillard in Portland, Kevin Garnett in Minnesota, or LeBron in Cleveland Part 1 situation. Draymond Green and Klay Thompson, the other 2 cogs in the Warriors’ well-oiled machine that has churned out 4 NBA Championships are still on the team. Green re-signed on a monster 4-year contract extension last summer, and he more than outplayed it. Green had a career year from behind the arc, notching a 39.5 percent mark. Green’s defense was also at its best as it usually is and Golden State’s best lineups featured him at center.
Head Coach Steve Kerr had one of the best years he’s ever had as Golden State’s head coach since coming in 2015. Kerr has had a reputation for being more of an ego manager and rotation manager rather than an actual coach who can develop players. This reputation in the first place was wrong from the beginning, as Kerr’s motion offense was key in unlocking the revolutionary talents of the Splash Brothers and Green’s ability to anchor defenses even in his shorter stature. In a way, Kerr altered the course of the league by creating the ultimate 3-point shooting motion offense and giving the league a mold for a smaller, more mobile center.
But reputation be damned, Kerr did a fantastic job in every area he received criticism in the past. He managed to include the young players in his rotation and developed 3 key players, including 2 rookies. The draft’s #19 pick last year, Brandon Podziemski proved himself as a key player down the stretch and the #57 pick Trayce Jackson-Davis was extremely effective in bringing the Warriors exactly what they needed, a mobile big who can be effective on both ends of the floor. Jonathan Kuminga another young player, also put up gaudy numbers at times. Kerr’s coaching this season managed to unlock him, but fellow 3rd-year player Moses Moody once again just wasn’t good enough to crack the rotation.
What Went Wrong?
Here’s the obvious question. A great roster that featured 4 future Hall of Famers, a former All-Star in Andrew Wiggins, 2 great rookies, a rising star in Kuminga, and multiple glue guys such as Gary Payton II and Kevon Looney coached by one of the greatest coaches ever. How could that be a 10th-seeded finish and play-in exit? Well, plain and simple it’s because this is a team that failed its franchise player. Why? Well. They didn’t get him a 2nd scorer. Rather, they traded that 2nd scorer away for a 39-year point guard who wasn’t known as a scorer in the first place.
Yes, I’m talking about the Chris Paul – Jordan Poole trade. Why was Curry so effective in 2022, the last season the Warriors won a championship? Why did the Warriors win games last season when Curry was out? It’s because of Jordan Poole, another scoring guard who could take the pressure off Curry AND score in bunches during his absences. This season, Curry had to shoulder the load for the 74 games he played this season, the most games he’s played since 2016. That almost certainly played a factor in his lackluster close to the season and passiveness during yesterday’s loss. Just too much tread on those tires.
Poole’s trade left Klay Thompson as the only other perimeter scorer on the team. Yes, the guy who just scored 0 points and shot 0-10 from the field last night. Sure, you could say Jonathan Kuminga but he is still very much a raw player who I’d be very surprised if he is on the opening day roster next season. Kuminga just doesn’t have the moves or the skill to be a 2nd scorer on a semi-good team consistently. Andrew Wiggins has massively regressed since the 2022 title year and is essentially a shell of his former self on both ends of the floor.
Thompson is a GOOD PLAYER. He is NOT “washed up” as some un-educated folks will tell you. But the problem with him is the same exact problem that existed in 2022. It has not changed. He is an inconsistent player who is much worse offensively than he was before his 2 devasting injuries and this should come as no surprise. The only difference between 2022 and 2024 is he was the only other perimeter scorer on the team in 2024, while in 2022 both Wiggins and Poole picked up the slack.
I think that Thompson can be a 3rd option on a championship team. At this point in his career, he cannot be a 2nd option. Jonathan Kuminga faces a similar issue on the other side of the spectrum. While Klay cannot be a 2nd option due to his older age, Kuminga cannot be a 2nd option because of his younger age. Wiggins has just not been the same since his 2022 All-Star campaign and exemplary FInals performance, for whatever reason.
General Manager Mike Dunleavy Jr made the conscious decision to walk into this season with Thompson as his team’s 2nd option. He made the conscious decision to carry an unknown like Kuminga as a key rotation player. He made the decision to trade a scoring guard for an over-the-hill 6’1 point guard who cannot put the ball in the basket. This is a gross mismanagement by Dunleavy and the front office, one that they will get a chance to fix this summer. But this is probably their last chance before the last of Curry’s prime disappears.
Can This Be Fixed?
Well, the short answer is yes. But it’ll cost the Warriors young players and draft picks, a price they should be willing to pay to maximize Curry. Phoenix, both Los Angeles teams, Milwaukee, Dallas, and Denver are all teams that moved their chips to the middle of the table so they have the best chance to win it all with their superstars. Why haven’t the Warriors done the same? So here’s what they have to do.
Re-acquire Jordan Poole
Get Draymond Green and Jordan Poole in the same room to hash out differences. Hope Green doesn’t punch Poole. Then ship Chris Paul and whatever pick necessary to Washington to get Poole back. The Warriors need Poole. It was a gross overreaction to trade him for Paul after a couple made series last season. They need his scoring to relieve Curry. It’s invaluable and he’s the only one who knows Golden State’s system.
Re-sign Klay Thompson
This is a no-brainer in my eyes, even if the cost is upwards of 15 million dollars. Thompson is an invaluable part of this dynasty. There is no dynasty without him and there will not be further additions to the trophy closet without him either. Say what you want, but Thompson as a 3rd option is a proposition most teams would kill to have.
Trade Jonathan Kuminga, Maybe Even Andrew Wiggins or Gary Payton II.
If there is a high-profile trade request this off-season from a wing or a big (EX: Paul George, Kawhi Leonard, Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokoumpo, etc) the Warriors should load Jonathan Kuminga, Andrew Wiggins, Moses Moody, and a boatload of picks onto a plane and bid the adieu. Of course, the chances of a player of that caliber or even someone like Kristaps Porzingis becoming available is rare.
If there isn’t a disgruntled star? Kuminga still probably needs to go for a more 3 and D forward, similar to a guy like Otto Porter Jr who won games for them in 2022. Wiggins and Moody can probably stay and be valuable with their skill sets, although I might move Wiggins for a guy like Dejounte Murray so that I could safely move off an injury-prone player such as Gary Payton II.
Fill Out Roster With Bigger 3 and D Players
The last time the Warriors won a championship, they filled their roster out with the likes of Otto Porter Jr and Nemanja Bjelica. These were players who had size, could defend bigger players, and hold their own by providing good ball moment and shooting on offense. Nothing revolutionary, but something every championship team needs. The past 2 iterations of these Warriors just haven’t had those kinds of players. Donte DiVincenzo was the team’s effort at re-creating Porter last year, but he was just too small. This season, Dario Saric was the attempt to re-create Bjelica, but he was a very stiff defender and was picked apart by opposing offenses.
The Verdict
Look, even with those moves chances are this is a team that will never win another championship. And there’s nothing to feel bad about. 4 championships is a lot and 4 more than a lot of teams. Curry is an all-time great and needs nothing else to solidify his legacy. Thompson and Green are first ballot hall-of-famers. As Kerr said after the loss, not everyone stays at the top for long.
But the point is the Warriors front office has completely and utterly failed Stephen Curry the last 2 seasons. The role players and the scorers have just not been there. The 2024/25 season could be the Warriors’ last shot to win 1 more ring with Curry. I suggest they do everything they possibly can to take advantage, otherwise it will be something they regret forever.
