Golden State Warriors: Back half of season will be strictly for development

The Golden State Warriors and their coaching staff need to already be mentally locked into who should make this team’s roster for next season.

This season has been tough for the Golden State Warriors.

However, with the second half of the season on the horizon, the team must focus on one thing: development. Players like Jordan Poole, Eric Paschall, and Marquese Chriss need that specialized attention to help mold their skill set into something that could be of use next season.

Even the recently added Andrew Wiggins is not without flaw.

While he’s averaging 23 points per game with Golden State after three games (22.5 on the season), Wiggins is still shooting under 72% from the line and 35% from deep. To go along with mediocre defense, Wiggins, although a star in this league, still has room to grow.

The difference is that Wiggins will be on the roster next season. Poole and Paschall also likely have a spot crafted out for them. Each, like the rest of the young Warriors, has areas of their game to improve.

Poole is an undersized guard and struggled both defensively and with his efficiency. Paschall, on the other hand, has struggled to be consistent, starting off the season hot while being overly efficient the last few weeks leading up to the All-Star break.

Paschall, Poole, Wiggins, Ky Bowman, Alen Smailagić and Kevon Looney are all needing the offensive opportunity and experience that it takes to understand the level of play needed at the next level.

Those six are destined for big minutes, and with Curry likely returning on a minutes restriction and Klay Thompson still out for the foreseeable future, those six will get all the opportunity it takes to succeed.

The Warriors will need these six next season, and they’ll need them understanding the system and style Kerr wants to play. That will start to take shape in these last 27 games.