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Golden State Warriors facing luxury issue with scoring quartet

By Peter O'Keefe

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 02: (L to R) Kevon Looney #5, Klay Thompson #11, Andrew Wiggins #22, Jordan Poole #3, and Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors look on from the bench during the fourth quarter against the Boston Celtics in Game One of the 2022 NBA Finals at Chase Center on June 02, 2022 in San Francisco, California. 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. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 02: (L to R) Kevon Looney #5, Klay Thompson #11, Andrew Wiggins #22, Jordan Poole #3, and Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors look on from the bench during the fourth quarter against the Boston Celtics in Game One of the 2022 NBA Finals at Chase Center on June 02, 2022 in San Francisco, California. 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. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) /
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An embarrassment of riches can often cause issues within an NBA team. With too many mouths to feed, someone can get left out. Is that an issue facing Steve Kerr as the Golden State Warriors try to extract the very best from their four premium scorers?

The Warriors have a quartet of versatile scoring options in Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole. Each are capable of being threats both off the ball, while also providing different elements of self-creation and playmaking for others.

Balancing four players averaging over 18 points per game is a never before seen luxurious issue for Steve Kerr and the Golden State Warriors.

Even in a three-year span with Kevin Durant, the Warriors have never had this distribution of scoring on their roster. The offense of Durant, Curry and Thompson was complemented by the defense and passing of frontcourt duo Draymond Green and Zaza Pachulia, along with sixth-man Andre Iguodala.

Now, Wiggins has gone some way to replacing Durant and Poole has replaced Iguodala in the sixth-man role. The quartet are all averaging at least 18.8 points per game, offering scoring diversity that’s never been seen in the Kerr era.

Golden State Warriors’  (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Golden State Warriors’  (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /

Part of that is down to the explosive scoring output around the entire league, and also the injury/resting issues for each of Curry, Thompson and Wiggins. But in order to repeat their title as NBA champions, Golden State will need all four players to be fit and firing come playoff time.

While having a range of scoring options is obviously a luxury, it also provides an issue for Kerr in finding balance between the quartet. Poole struggled to start the season and there has to be an inkling that he’s the odd man out when all four players are available.

Not only do the 20-20 Warriors need to gather up wins over the second-half of the season to ensure they make the playoffs, but the biggest aspect of that might come down to how their offense operates. If they’re all efficient and somewhere near their best, this Warriors lineup will simply be too explosive for most teams ahead of the playoffs.

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Aside from the capacity to win another championship, it’s less of an issue when they’re not all making major money. Yet from next season, each of Curry, Thompson, Poole and Wiggins will officially be on $100+ million contracts. Golden State have locked themselves into these players, and now we get to witness Poole’s development amid a trio of fellow scoring threats.

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