Golden State Warriors: 3 Implications of missing the Playoffs
By Tony Pesta
Golden State Warriors missed an opportunity for growth
While it is easy to see how missing the playoffs is a good thing as far as NBA Draft position and rest goes, we also have to acknowledge that this is a missed opportunity for growth.
For young players like Jordan Poole, Juan Toscano-Anderson and Eric Paschall, a chance to get their feet wet in the NBA Playoffs could have proved useful moving forward. Though it may have been a brief introduction against the top-seeded Utah Jazz, it would have been beneficial to have got experience under their belt.
Even guys like Andrew Wiggins and Kelly Oubre Jr. could have used some additional reps in the playoffs. Assuming Oubre returns, these two will be crucial to the Dubs’ success next season and they’ll need to be prepared for showtime. Oubre and Wiggins have just 23 postseason games between them.
Nevertheless, it is important to remember that the roster could change drastically during the offseason in favor of bringing more experienced stars. And, with James Wiseman out for the year anyways, reaching the playoffs would have only helped this core so much. Lastly, their brief two games in the Play-In offered a taste of what it is like to play with high stakes.