The NBA regular season is now just over a month away, with Golden State Warriors fans eagerly anticipating what they hope is a return to the top for a franchise who stumbled their way to a second-round playoff exit in 2023.
But outside of the Warriors themselves, fans will also await the battles of rival teams around the league. When forecasting the most interesting opposing teams for Golden State fans, it’s good to start with those who possess players with a direct link to the franchise.
A number of former Golden State Warriors will provide intriguing storylines for fans to monitor as the 2023-24 season progresses.
The Warriors have made two major trades in the past eight months that saw four players depart the franchise. They also had a couple players depart in free agency, while some former players will hold intrigue at new teams despite having left Golden State years ago.
Let’s have a look at the most interesting ex-Warriors to watch for this season:
Special mentions:
Kevin Durant
Despite being 34-years-old, Durant is still one of the league’s very best players and one of the greatest scorers of all-time. He’s great to watch sure, but not interesting as such. His fit with Devin Booker and the newly-acquired Bradley Beal does produce some intrigue though.
Otto Porter Jr.
Can Porter get back on an NBA floor this season? Will it even be with the Toronto Raptors? He may have only spent one season with the franchise, but the veteran forward has a special place in Warrior hearts.
Donte DiVincenzo
DiVincenzo departed the Warriors in free agency, signing with the Knicks after an impressive lone year in the Bay. It’s always interesting to see how a former player goes immediately after his departure, but DiVincenzo’s the sort of glue guy who should produce more of the same in New York.