Pacific Division Roundup: Golden State Warriors
Aug 10, 2023, 9:10 AM | Updated: 9:16 am
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
NBA training camps will open next month, meaning we are closing in on the start of the 2023-24 season.
As we prepare for another exciting season of Sacramento Kings basketball, it’s time to look around at the Pacific Division and check on what the five returning NBA Playoff teams have done to upgrade their rosters this summer.
Which teams have made the most significant changes? Although Sacramento is the reigning Pacific Division champion, has another team done enough to its roster to take the crown?
Let’s dive in.
(Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Golden State Warriors
- 2022-23 record: 44-38
- Place in Pacific: 4th
- Finish in Western Conference: 6th seed
- Playoffs: Lost 2-4 to Los Angeles Lakers in Western Conference Semifinals
Reading a breakdown on the Golden State Warriors just months following the pain of Sacramento’s Game 7 in the NBA Playoffs might be a challenging task, but bear with me, Kings fans.
Yes, Stephen Curry’s 50-point scoring masterclass in Game 7 of the first round brought Sacramento’s first playoff run in 16 years to an end, but what has Golden State done to bolster its roster this summer?
Before the Warriors cold dive into making roster moves, longtime general manager Bob Myers–the man who built Golden State’s four-championship dynasty while claiming two Executive of the Year awards–stepped down from his role on May 30th, with former NBA forward Mike Dunleavy Jr. taking over as GM.
Following some initial days of uncertainty following the Warriors’ elimination from the Playoffs in May, forward Draymond Green re-upped for $100 million over the next four seasons.
With Green’s return assured, Golden State addressed the Green-Jordan Poole situation by trading away the high-scoring guard to the Washington Wizards in a move that brought future Hall of Fame distributor Chris Paul to San Francisco.
Paul–who will be entering his age 38 season–was the Warriors’ “splashy” move this summer following a down year for the 18-year veteran (13.9 points, 8.9 assists, 44% FG, 37% 3PT).
Paul’s emergence on the roster could mean less on-ball sequences from two-time MVP star Stephen Curry, although it’s hard to imagine a scenario where Curry isn’t effective, whether he brings the ball down the floor or not.
Dunleavy and the rest of Golden State’s front office are banking on Paul’s elite playmaking to translate to a roster that still possesses the star power of Curry, Green, and Klay Thompson, although the foursome’s average age of 35 years old puts them in an interesting spot entering the regular season.
Curry is showing no signs of slowing down, although the Warriors now have no clear bench scoring threat to turn to now that Poole will be playing basketball in the nation’s capital.
Golden State will bank on the growth of young talents Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody, while talented wing Andrew Wiggins will return for his fifth season in a Warriors uniform.
Here are the moves that Golden State has made so far this summer:
- Re-signed forward Draymond Green to a four-year, $100 million contract
- Traded guards Jordan Poole and Ryan Rollins to the Washington Wizards in return for guard Chris Paul
- Signed guard Cory Joseph to a one-year, $3.1 million contract
- Signed forward Dario Saric to a one-year, $2.7 million contract
- Drafted guard Brandin Podziemski with the 19th selection in the 2023 NBA Draft
- Drafted forward/center Trayce Jackson-Davis with the 57th selection in the 2023 NBA Draft
If the Warriors’ starting lineup of Curry, Paul, Thompson, Wiggins, and Green can remain healthy, I’d expect Golden State to be firmly in the mix for a postseason spot in 2023-24.
Age is a concern with this roster, but it’s hard to count against any team that has a healthy Stephen Curry in the fold. The questions surrounding the age and depth are warranted, though, as an injury to Curry or another starter could quickly derail hopes of claiming a fifth championship for this core.
Sacramento Kings Offseason Schedule
- August TBD – 2023-24 NBA regular season schedule release
- September TBD – Sacramento Kings training camp begins
- Sunday, October 8th – Sacramento Kings @ Toronto Raptors – 5 PM PST (Preseason opener)
- October TBD – NBA regular season begins
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