In a weird way, the Golden State Warriors should be thankful for this unfortunate season.
This feels like a season to forget for the Golden State Warriors. An ugly 3-15 start has ruined all hopes of another championship-caliber playoff run.
Injuries have been the story for the Dubs this year. Recovering from the loss of Kevin Durant, DeMarcus Cousins and Andre Iguodala in free agency were made impossible with significant injuries to Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry.
Now, the five-time reigning Western Conference champions have their eyes set on the NBA Draft Lottery. Though this is a disappointment for many fans, this can also be seen as a blessing.
The Warriors have a few things to be thankful for in this season. For starters, a short season for Curry, Thompson and Draymond Green is a good thing. This trio has competed deep into the postseason for five consecutive seasons, a feat few players have been able to accomplish.
It’s important that the Warriors core recovers fully from their grueling championship runs. The pace this team was playing at was simply not sustainable. This time off will benefit the entire team greatly.
Furthermore, the Warriors have had a free audition for their young players and bench members. The Dubs are getting a chance to see which players deserve to remain on the roster when the team makes an official return to title contention next season.
We have already seen Eric Paschall, the 41st pick in the 2020 NBA Draft, step up and post big numbers. His averages of 16.5 points and 5.4 rebounds per game have given the Warriors hope in an otherwise disappointing season.
It’s tough to say that the Warriors should be thankful for this disastrous series of events, but in the long run, the Dubs may be better off for this down season.