One of the most intriguing things about the Golden State Warriors being one game away from winning another championship is that there is a solid argument to be made that this isn’t even close to their full strength.
The Golden State Warriors are on the verge of a championship but there is reason to believe we haven’t even seen their best yet.
There are some glaring and not-so-obvious reasons for this.
The first indicator is health. Most notably, James Wiseman, 2020’s No. 2 overall draft pick, hasn’t played a minute this season.
No matter how high or low you are on Wiseman’s potential, no one can deny that a seven-footer with rim-running capabilities wouldn’t be useful to the Dubs right about now. His absence alone suggests the Warriors can get even better.
Less obvious is the Warriors’ overall health and status together. We are all aware of the grueling comeback trail Klay Thompson has endured yet few are taking the time to truly factor in how missing two years of basketball is impacting not only Klay but his teammates, as well.
You might have noticed some strange slumps from the Dubs at various points. While, of course, this can be explained by perfectly normal cold stretches, the lack of playing time between the big three prior to the playoffs is also a reasonable excuse.
Thompson, Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson played fewer than one full game together during the regular season. This isn’t even mentioning the likes of Andrew Wiggins, Jordan Poole, Gary Payton and Otto Porter, who don’t have the luxury of a decade’s worth of experience with Klay.
For most of the postseason, the Warriors have been winging it. Going in blind with a tinge of nostalgia leading the way. And, it’s pretty darn impressive they’ve managed to be right back on the doorstep of a championship considering it all.
The return of Wiseman, another year of development for Poole, Jonathan Kuminga and Kevon Looney plus a full offseason for Klay to get his body right and back into a natural rhythm could make the Warriors a significantly better team next season.