Golden State Warriors: 3 X-Factors for the future
By Tony Pesta
2. Andrew Wiggins and the young core
The Golden State Warriors will happily be led into next season with Stephen Curry as their undisputed leader. But, at age 32, how much longer can the Warriors ride Curry’s wave?
Whether they like it or not, it’s time to start building for the future or risk a complete collapse once Curry’s prime comes to an end. The franchise has already begun doing this by acquiring Andrew Wiggins from the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Wiggins has had a bumpy career thus far but remains one of the most interesting prospects under 25. Averaging nearly 20 points across six seasons, few players have had this much consistent success on offense so early on.
The Warriors aren’t going to need Wiggins to be a superstar, but they will need him to be a reliable third option for the next few seasons. If he can make the most of his opportunities, this will be a successful relationship.
As for the rest of the Warriors’ young core, players such as Ky Bowman, Eric Paschall, Marquese Chriss and Damion Lee need to continue to make strides. Their development is important as they will likely be the best supporting cast the franchise has to offer moving forward.
Most importantly, Chriss and Paschall will need to keep growing. These two have been the biggest surprises of the season with their production on both ends of the floor. Heading into next season, Chriss and Paschall could end up playing big roles.