May 21, 2021; San Francisco, CA, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) shoots the basketball against Memphis Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane (22) during the first quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
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For all intents and purposes, the Golden State Warriors 2020-21 season was successful. Even though the Warriors lost in the play-in game against the Memphis Grizzlies, Golden State proved that it could compete if fully healthy.
The big picture: Although the Warriors played valiantly to the end, it’s clear that there are few holes that need to be plugged up if Golden State wants to float to a championship flag.
The biggest question Golden State has to answer is what to do with Kelly Oubre Jr. An unrestricted free agent, Oubre Jr. shook off a historically bad start to the season to finish with a respectable line of 15 points and six rebounds a game on 44% shooting from the field. His shooting from deep was unremarkable (31.6% on 5.2 attempts), but he showed flashes late in the season.
Again, it’s important to note that Oubre Jr. is an unrestricted free agent. Due to his inconsistency, it’s unlikely teams will offer more than $20 million a year. That said, the Warriors can either let Oubre Jr. walk or sign him to a team-friendly deal, worth anywhere from $30-60 million for two-to-four years. If the Warriors go for the latter route, that allows them to trade the contract easily, should it not pan out.
If Golden State lets Oubre Jr. walk, there are a few veterans that could fill their needs. Names like James Ennis III, Doug McDermott, Stanley Johnson, Maurice Harkless and Nic Batum, while not splashy, could provide a boost the Warriors need. If they’re feeling lucky, perhaps a deal might be struck with Carmelo Anthony or Paul Millsap.
One of the few bright spots this season was Stephen Curry’s near-immaculate performance, not just shooting the ball but as a whole. Undoubtedly the greatest shooter and greatest Warrior of all-time, Curry proved that he was not just a shooter as his all-around excellence helped bring a banged-up Warriors squad to the play-in game.
Curry’s stellar play has him on the outside looking in for the MVP with Nikola Jokic all but guaranteed the award. Nevertheless, the 33-year-old Curry was still able to put up 32 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists and win the scoring title, becoming only the second player after 32 to win the award behind Michael Jordan, among many other accolades.
Alongside Curry was Draymond Green, another member of the Warriors’ big three. As instrumental as he was on the defensive end – he’s a finalist for Defensive Player of the Year – Green remained a liability on offense, shooting under 45% from the field and an abysmal 27% from three.
Teams often left him alone, choosing to double (or triple) team Curry and living with the consequences — which, coincidentally, left Green with the potential game-winner against the Grizzlies that he promptly missed. To Green’s credit, he is willing to improve so it remains to be seen what happens moving forward.
Lastly, the biggest wildcard is Klay Thompson. By the time he will have returned, which is expected to be sometime after the start of the 2021-22 regular season, he will have missed more than two years’ worth of action.
That said, it make sense if Thompson is the Warriors’ de facto Sixth Man in the future. With two devastating leg injuries, this is probably the only feasible course of action
Apart from Oubre Jr. and the Warriors’ big three, the Warriors could also potentially have two lottery picks this year, should the Timberwolves pick land outside the top-three. If the Warriors land that pick, they could potentially trade up to get a top-three player to help expedite the retooling process that started last year by drafting James Wiseman.
Regarding Wiseman, Warriors General Manager Bob Myers isn’t expecting to trade the young big this offseason. By allowing Wiseman to grow with Jordan Poole, Eric Paschall, Juan Toscano-Anderson and a potential top-three pick, the Warriors are setting themselves up for success in the future, even if the present looks unimpressive.
Another important piece is Andrew Wiggins. Not known as an efficient shooter or capable defender, Wiggins’ time in Golden State has shown that he can be a good shooter – averaged a career-high 38% from deep in 20-21 – and a great defender, proving to be an invaluable piece. While the Warriors could still trade him, it appears that he’s on the right track to righting a previously fledgling career.
With the Golden State Warriors entering another offseason earlier than expected, that gives the front office ample time to figure out what to do. First and foremost, the Warriors should re-sign Oubre Jr. in hopes that he regains his consistency with more time in the system.
Next should be easing Thompson into game action. Considering how he’s missed so much time, Thompson should be the Sixth Man for the foreseeable future to prolong his career. Curry and Green will continue to get better so there’s not a lot of worry on that end.
Finally, regardless of what the Warriors do with their picks, having a young core of Wiseman, Poole and Wiggins should prove beneficial for Golden State next year. Depending on how Wiseman recovers from knee surgery, that should give the Warriors another big to help. Nevertheless, the Warriors should keep the picks and the young pieces to compliment Curry, Green and Thompson.
If all goes well, expect the Warriors to contend for a top-four seed and potentially even a sleeper pick as a championship contender.