There's a reason the Golden State Warriors need improvement from the likes of Brandin Podziemski and Gui Santos, along with major impact from 11th overall pick Yaxel Lendeborg come the start of the regular season in less than two weeks.
If there's anything that brutally outlines the challenge ahead of the Warriors, it's the fact they're likely to have nearly $90 million on the sidelines when they take on the Los Angeles Lakers on opening night. Jimmy Butler ($56.8 million) and Moses Moody ($12.5 million) are already recovering from long-term knee injuries, while Kristaps Porzingis is also expected to miss with major uncertainty still hanging over his latest health concern.
Warriors face uphill challenge from opening night
Take $90 million worth of players away from any team and they're bound to face an uphill battle, something Golden State now face as they look to avoid a third playoff absence in the past four years. While the Warriors are up against the second apron as the season gets underway, the reality of the on-court look will mirror more of a moneyball type set up beyond franchise superstar Stephen Curry and veteran forward Draymond Green.
Their other three likely starters, Podziemski, Santos and Lendeborg, will make less than $20 million combined this season. But if the Warriors are going to rise up and be a playoff threat, or at least keep their heads above water before the reinforcements arrive mid-season, they will need that young trio to play like a combined max player ($50-60 million).
That's not out of the realms of possibility considering the opportunity in front of them. Lendeborg will see more minutes and responsibility than any rookie has had in the Steve Kerr era, Podziemski looks to have won the starting shooting guard role over De'Anthony Melton, and Santos appears to be the major winner of Porzingis' illness.
Both Podziemski and Santos displayed improvement late last season when more opportunity arrived, and Lendeborg has already won a starting spot simply off merit after a blistering start to his career at summer league and now through the 24-year-old's first two preseason games.
Warriors will need production from lower salary players
It's not just those three younger players who the Warriors will need to play desperately beyond their value. Melton and Al Horford make less than $14 million combined and will have to not only justify Golden State bringing them back in the offseason, but actually outplay the deals they were given.
Perhaps no one could provide more bang for buck than Brandon Williams who had to wait until August to get a contract in free agency despite a career-best year with the Dallas Mavericks last season. Even then, the 26-year-old's minimum deal with the Warriors is non-guaranteed, yet he's set to play a critical role as a sixth man after impressing through his three preseason games.
As much as there's still expectation surrounding the Warriors based on the fact they still possess an elite player in Curry, the sheer amount of dollars on the sidelines suggests they're up against it to return to the playoffs in a tough Western Conference.
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