Can the Warriors be once again the Team to Beat in the NBA?
After losing to the Lakers in the NBA Western Conference Semifinals 2-4, the team had to make some tough decisions for their near future. Issues with Free agency with key players like Draymond Green, who has been a role player in their 4 titles with the same core (Curry, Thompson, Green, Iguodala), what to do with Jordan Pool’s 4-year contract of $123 million extension that will pay him $27,4 million next season. The departure of Bob Myers from its front office. They had to make decisions to reshape an expensive roster while living with a luxury tax problem.
Bob Myers, not the end of an era, but probably the beginning of the end
Golden State has decided to finish its relationship with former General Manager, Bob Myers after 11 years of commanding the best team in the last decade. Some bad contract like Jordan Pool’s and very high payroll, has made its owner Joe Lacob, decide to remove him and has named Mike Dunleavy Jr, as their new general manager.
Chris Paul to the Warriors and Jordan Poole to the Wizards
Jordan Poole was the future of the franchise, once Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson had finished their contracts with the team. The young Poole, 24 years old, had a key contribution in the last Golden State Warriors 2022 NBA title. The young player had agreed to a new contract for four years $128 million deal, this deal had the franchise with no financial flexibility for the future, so they had to make a move to have more space caps.
Poole had a good regular season, posted numbers, he averaged a career-best 20.4 points over 82 games during the 2022-23 season, along with 2,7 rebounds and 4,5 assists (career high) per game. But he fell apart in the postseason, shooting for 34,1%, 10,3 points per game, and his playing time was limited to 21,8 minutes per game. The team needed that move to clean up their finances.
The veteran is back with a new team, the future Hall of Famer, Chris Paul, who by the way is still looking for his first ring and has played for several franchises, Pelicans, Clippers, Oklahoma City, Phoenix, and now the Golden State Warriors.
The point guard Paul will make about $31 million the next season, but after that, he does not have anything guaranteed. 38 years very close to his retirement and 19 seasons in the Association, will probably play a new different role, coming off the bench for the first time in his career. Paul has been a player lest games due to injuries, last season played 59 games, averaged 13,9 points per game, 8.9% assists per game, and shot for 44.0% FG, played five games against the Los Angeles Clippers in the first round of the past playoffs and just two games against the new Champs Denver Nuggets. With these moves, the NBA Odds should favor the improved roster.
Are the Warriors’ best years over? Can they be a threat this year?
The Big Three are still there, Curry, Thompson, and Green, which together have won four NBA titles in eight years. Curry 35 years old signed a four-year contract worth $215,353,664 guaranteed, he will make $53,838,416 as his annual average salary, making him the highest-paid player in the league last season. The superstar had an injury that sidelined him for several weeks in the past season, played 56 games, averaged 29,4 points per game, and an incredible 42,7% behind the arc, which some say is the best all-around shooter in the history of the league.
His “Slash Brother” Klay Thompson, also has a big contract, the guard signed a five-year contract extension with the team, worth $189,9 million in 2019, and will come in his final contract season. Klay who did not play for two seasons in a roll in 2019-20 (knee injury) and in 2020-21 (Achilles injury), with 32 years old still an elite and sharpshooter, averaging .416 from the 3-point line.
And the third piece is Green, 33 years old, the Michigan State, just signed a new contract for four year seasons totaling $100 million, the “Heart and Soul of this team” will be back and was one of the key pieces to bring back. The Warriors need to keep Greene in the fold being his usual self, as the team’s competitive future relies on talent but especially good chemistry.
The rest of this good team, have, Andrew Wiggins, Gary Payton II, Jonathan Kuminga, and others. Having a good core around the Splash Brothers and Green will certainly affect NBA Lines this upcoming season.