Losing a superstar such as Kevin Durant can cripple a franchise but the Golden State Warriors have made the most of a poor situation.
Not many franchises are capable of losing a generational talent like Kevin Durant without falling off the face of the planet. The Golden State Warriors may be the worst team in the league right now but they have done a phenomenal job at rebuilding for next season.
Before officially losing Durant, the Warriors engineered a sign and trade to bring D’Angelo Russell to the Bay Area. Understanding that Russell may not be a longterm fit with the team, the front office consistently looked for ways to flip Russell into something more useful.
Then, at the trade deadline, the Warriors pulled the trigger on a trade to land two draft picks and a young star in Andrew Wiggins. In all, the Warriors turned losing Durant into a 24-year old forward who is averaging 20+ points per game and a future first-round draft pick.
In addition to this, the Dubs will have one of the top picks in the upcoming draft due to their disappointing record this season. The injuries to Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson will wind up being beneficial in the long run when both the Splash Brothers return to a team loaded with young talent.
Not to mention, the front office did a great job of drafting Eric Paschall late in the second round last year. The rookie has averaged 13.4 points and has been a bright spot for the team all season long.
The Warriors deserve immense credit for their recovery. It’s not easy to part ways with a megastar such as Durant and it looks as if the franchise will be back in title contention within a year. This team avoided the complete collapse of a dynasty and is successfully transitioning into their next chapter.