After taking the scenic route, the Golden State Warriors’ offseason is finally complete.
Jonathan Kuminga, Al Horford, De’Anthony Melton, Gary Payton II and Seth Curry have all bolstered what looked a depleted roster just a week ago.
The boundaries of improvement in the Stephen Curry era are always within the context of title contention. This Warriors team has been a tier below since winning it all in 2022 but the Jimmy Butler trade in February was a shot in the arm.
Golden State went 22-5 with Butler and Curry in the lineup during the regular season, a 67-win pace that would have pushed the Oklahoma City Thunder for the West’s top seed. It would be unreasonable to expect the veteran duo to play all 82 games but the ceiling was apparent.
“An 82-game season is a challenge for any team but especially a veteran team,” Curry said at Warriors Media Day. “But the way that we finished and the record that we had, before I got hurt in the second round, we were a relevant threat and I think we’ve gotten better.”
If they look over their shoulder, the Warriors will see the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers have made considerable improvements to their rosters. Luka Doncic is looking physically rejuvenated, the Houston Rockets now have Kevin Durant and the Thunder remain the team to beat.
Here’s what needs to happen for the Warriors to be relevant in late May.
Horford Adds Much-Needed Front-Court Spacing
Draymond Green played center probably more than he would have liked last season. Kevon Looney wasn’t having quite his typical impact and Trayce Jackson-Davis didn’t elevate his play as hoped after an encouraging rookie year.
You can’t teach size and the Rockets found a bit of kryptonite in the form of the burly Steven Adams. The Warriors escaped in seven games but their second-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves presented plenty of front-court problems with Rudy Gobert, Julius Randle and Naz Reid.
“In an ideal world, I would love to play more four,” Green said. “It’s my natural position. That’s how I became who I’ve become at that position…
“Theoretically, having Al Horford can help with that.”
It’s quite possible Horford is an occasional starter rather than a full-time one. In 211 minutes last season, the starting five of Curry, Butler, Green, Moses Moody and Brandin Podziemski posted a plus-16.4 net rating. Presuming health, that should be the five who take the court to begin opening night.
Horford may figure into the equation against certain starting centers but his presence off the bench will be huge. It’s also certainly within the realm of possibility he closes a lot of games.
Looking at the rest of the Warriors’ front-court options, Horford’s ability to space the floor will be a massive boost. Green and Butler aren’t viable 3-point shooters — the former for a lack of accuracy and the latter for a lack of volume. None of Kuminga, Gui Santos and Jackson-Davis are outside threats either.
Horford’s strengths should only be amplified in minutes with Curry and Butler.
Kuminga, Warriors Find A Suitable Trade Partner
Head coach Steve Kerr can’t see a significant role for Kuminga on this iteration of the Warriors. Tenuous restricted free agency negotiations likely have Kuminga set to consider his options next summer at the latest. After agreeing to a two-year, $48.5 million deal (second year team option), Golden State effectively kicked the can one year down the road on redeeming some kind of value for him.
Kuminga’s salary rising from around $7.7 million last year to $22.5 million this season is now another factor in both the caliber and type of player the Warriors seek in return. The story of the season has to play out, as always, before we can figure out which teams might be buyers or sellers and who might actually be available.
Another pertinent question in the Warriors’ title chances will be whether they look for a win-now veteran or a younger prospect to help in the post-Curry era.
Podziemski Makes A Leap
Of the young players on the Warriors roster, the highest hopes will be pinned on Podziemski. He turned plenty of heads in a terrific rookie campaign before what was mostly a sophomore slump last season.
Podziemski came on strong to end last season and will now look to build off it. During the offseason, he stated a goal of making the 2028 USA Olympic roster, which will require progress in his offensive consistency.
He certainly fits the mold of “little things” players Team USA looks for with its reserves. Podziemski can provide some ball-handling, really good rebounding for his size and consistent, rugged defense. There also needs to be enough scoring pop. He finished the season shooting 37.2 percent from three, thanks in part to shooting 47.3 percent from deep over the final 17 regular-season games. Yet the 22-year-old only made 32.8 percent of his 3-point attempts in the playoffs.
Final Thoughts On Warriors As Contenders
As Curry highlighted with a veteran team, health will be paramount. The more that young players like Podziemski and Moody show they’ve grown, the better positioned the Warriors will be to get their aging stars timely rest. Melton and Payton II have both had a difficult time with injuries and the “other” Curry is likely only in line for spot minutes, maybe a bit more while Melton still rehabs his torn ACL.
Horford is going to need his rest as a 39-year-old big man while the most regular-season games Butler has played over the last eight years is 65, back when he was still a member of the Philadelphia 76ers in 2018-19.
Still, if the Warriors can extend the 67-win pace they showed last season from a 27-game sample to around 60, even playing .500-ball in the other 22 will have them primed for 55-plus wins and home-court advantage.
It will open the door for rest. It will erase the need for a Play-In Tournament appearance. Most importantly, it should theoretically create a less burdensome path to the promised land.
If the key aspects hit, the blueprint for Curry to have another crack at a title is certainly in play.
