Golden State Warriors should return as the West’s best team
PORTLAND, OR - MAY 18: Stephen Curry #30, Draymond Green #23, and Klay Thompson #11 of the Golden State Warriors celebrate during Game Three of the Western Conference Finals against the Portland Trail Blazers on May 18, 2019 at the Moda Center in Portland, Oregon. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)
The Golden State Warriors were the NBA’s worst team during the 2019-2020 season, but it won’t be like that for long.
It didn’t take too much for the Golden State Warriors to go from the league’s best to worst team. There were three simple moments that caused the downfall of one of the league’s most powerful dynasties for an entire season.
First, Stephen Curry broke his right hand. During the fourth game of the season, Curry went down, and that ultimately caused the team to be far from playoff contention. Curry missed the next several months
The second one, that happened during the 2019 NBA Finals, was the tearing of Klay Thompson’s ACL.
Thompson went up for a dunk and came down awkwardly on his knee. Danny Green was attempting to challenge the dunk attempt. Thompson was projected to return this season, but it’s unlikely that happens even with the league’s suspension as the team has already shut him down.
Thirdly, Kevin Durant opted to leave for Brooklyn. However, the Warriors were able to secure former No. 1 overall pick Andrew Wiggins and a top pick in the 2021 NBA Draft virtually in return for Durant.
They also have what could be the No. 1 overall pick in this coming draft. Combine all that, and you’ll have a healthy Curry and Thompson, a rested Draymond Green, and a top pick in the coming draft.
Even Wiggins could be a notable name on a team that’s built their culture on developing talent on the wing. Those five players will take the court this coming season, and they could create the league’s best lineup despite other Western Conference foes having bulked up this past offseason.
Given the dynamic and the experience, this team’s first five should be not only the best in the Western Conference but the best in the NBA as a whole.
After all, it was Curry, Thompson, and Green who started this dynamic, and it will be them to end it. But, that collapse will not be next season and hopefully not for the next half a decade to come.
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