What is next for this rendition of Golden State Warriors?

What’s next? The Golden State Warriors likely fell just short of reaching their max potential this season — but should the front office run it back and try to maximize this current roster? Or is it time to shake things up and take a crack at raising their ceiling?

The 2020-21 NBA season is over and everyone is wondering what exactly this rendition of the Golden State Warriors is going to do next.

The dynasty is dead. Or, at the very least, it is in deep slumber. This team hasn’t been able to strike fear in the heart of opponents for years and even their last-second swing of momentum wasn’t enough to topple a rusty Los Angeles Lakers team or a young Memphis Grizzlies in the Play-In.

While yes, Stephen Curry has been better than ever — the rest of the Dubs were blatantly disrespected by opposing defenses all season long. I mean, when a foe feels fully comfortable triple-teaming Curry in favor of anyone else touching the ball, that says a lot about your supporting cast, right?

I will acknowledge that this current core, combined with the return of Klay Thompson, Kelly Oubre and an ever so slightly improved James Wiseman should be enough to catapult them into the playoffs next season. But is that enough to make them a contender? Probably not.

Andrew Wiggins had a very strong season in which he blossomed finely into his role as a 3-and-D presence. He was engaged, active and eager to play defense each night. Despite all of this, his streaky shooting and underwhelming ability to create his own shot limited the Warriors in the postseason.

Even Jordan Poole, the sophomore guard who broke out of the G-League and became a key rotational piece, will need to make consistent strides in his game to remain in the lineup for a championship-contending team. Increased awareness and improved defense will be needed for Poole to be reliable late in the playoffs.

Others, like Juan Toscano-Anderson, can be valuable bench players to bring a jolt of energy through various points of the game. But, with absolutely no disrespect to JTA, is he capable of being a routine contributor on a championship team? As of now, I’d have to say no.

This team needs a booster shot. With potentially two NBA Draft Lottery picks and a number of different assets that can be traded, the front office owes it to the big three to pick up some higher-quality role players.

And yet, there is really no telling if the front office will swing for the fences. They opted out of making any major moves last summer and at the deadline. Will they stand idly while Curry’s championship window closes? Or, will the Dubs go all-in on winning again with their big three?

I would hope this franchise looks to take advantage of the generational superstars still on the roster. Even if they can’t slot another offensive star into the lineup, they need to find veteran talent that can be trusted in big moments.

As much as we have fallen in love with some of the unsung heroes on this roster, this might be it for this rendition of the Dubs. Change has to happen if they want to be competing for titles again.