How Golden State Warriors stack against young powerhouses

A new generation of basketball superstars is upon us. I don’t know about you, but seeing the likes of LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Kawhi Leonard and Stephen Curry become old in the eyes of the NBA has made me feel… well, old. But, how do the Golden State Warriors stack up against the young talent that is taking the league by storm?

The NBA is being overrun by young stars. How do the Golden State Warriors compete with this new generation of talent?

You need to look on farther than the current NBA Playoff picture to see the seismic changes taking place. Devin Booker (24) and the Phoenix Suns have just advanced to the Western Conference Finals after knocking off the league MVP, Nikola Jokic (26). Phoenix awaits the results of the Utah/LA series, where the Jazz are led by Donovan Mitchell who is averaging over 30 points per game in the playoffs.

On the other side of the bracket, Ben Simmons (24) and Joel Embiid (27) are on the verge of leading Philly to the Eastern Conference Finals. Meanwhile, Giannis Antetokounmpo (26) is just two games away from knocking off Durant and the Nets to set up a showdown with the 76ers. There is a fairly good chance a brand new champion is crowned this summer.

This is all while names like Luka Doncic (22), Zion Williamson (20), Trae Young (22), Jayson Tatum (23), and LaMelo Ball (19!) are just getting started.

As old as they may seem in comparison to their counterparts, the Warriors’ big three still has some gas left in the tank. Don’t forget, Curry just finished top-three in MVP voting after arguably his most potent offensive season yet. Draymond Green was great as well, playing outstanding basketball in every regard aside from his outside shooting.

Once Thompson returns, there is no question the Warriors will have the power to go toe-to-toe with any of these young bucks. But, what about the Warriors’ young guns? Do the Dubs have any success lined up for the foreseeable future?

It all starts with James Wiseman (20), who is certainly a few tiers below the other young stars in the NBA. Wiseman had a bumpy rookie season but can crack into the upper stratosphere next year as an elite rim running big. Of course, that all depends on his ability to master the minute details of the game, as his athleticism was not the problem last year.

As for the rest of the Warriors’ core, names like Jordan Poole and Juan Toscano-Anderson hold promise, but they are much more likely to find another star in the 2021 NBA Draft with a bit of luck.

There’s also the possibility the Warriors punt their future away by trading all of their assets and hunkering down on a title ASAP. In this case, the Dubs have the experience and power to dominate the younger NBA teams.

Putting this all together could mean the difference between three more years of playing competitive ball with the big three or another decade of fighting for titles with a new core. One thing is for certain, however, the new generation is coming quicker than expected.