The Golden State Warriors no longer possess the margin for error that accompanied their championship teams.
Stephen Curry is 38, Draymond Green is 36 and Jimmy Butler will turn 37 before the upcoming season. Golden State also finished 37-45 last season and missed the playoffs after injuries dismantled a roster already reliant on older players.
Curry averaged 26.6 points last season while shooting 39.3% from 3-point range, despite appearing in only 43 games because of a lingering knee problem. When healthy, he remains one of the NBA’s most disruptive offensive players because of his Hall of Fame shooting, off-ball movement and late-game shotmaking.
The Warriors can still compete, but their path requires more than simply relying on Curry to carry an aging roster.
Health Must Come Before Seeding
Golden State’s most important goal should be getting Curry and Butler to the postseason healthy
Butler suffered a torn right ACL in January and missed the remainder of last season. Curry later sat out 27 consecutive games with a knee injury. Their absences left the Warriors without enough shot creation to survive in an unforgiving Western Conference.
Head coach Steve Kerr must manage Curry’s workload and avoid chasing a few additional regular-season victories at the expense of April.
De’Anthony Melton and Gary Payton II can absorb difficult backcourt assignments, while Brandin Podziemski must become a steadier playmaker when Curry rests.
Butler’s recovery could determine the team’s ceiling. If he returns close to his previous form, Golden State will regain a physical downhill scorer who can draw fouls and create offense late in games.
Golden State acquired Porziņģis from the Atlanta Hawks in a midseason trade involving Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield. The Warriors later signed the veteran big man to a two-year, $40 million extension.
A Curry-Porziņģis pick-and-pop could stretch defenses beyond their comfort zone. Opponents cannot comfortably switch smaller guards onto Porziņģis, but dropping the center would provide Curry with open space behind the arc.