Golden State has been the best team in the NBA since the 2014-15 season. During that time, they have a combined regular season record of 322-88. That record was the best in the NBA through that time span. Postseason success has proved no different, as the Warriors have won three championships in the past four years. But, this year, their championship defense brought their toughest challenge yet.
The NBA playoffs saw the Warriors taken to six games by the Los Angeles Clippers. After that hard-fought series, Golden State defeated the Houston Rockets in six games as well. The Warriors started looking more like the powerhouse we know them as after they swept the Portland Trailblazers in the Western Conference Finals. Then came the NBA Finals, in which, the Warriors met their demise. Golden State squared off against the Toronto Raptors who were looking for their first championship in franchise history.
After four games without Kevin Durant, he returned to the lineup in Game 5 with his team down 3-1. Unfortunately, Durant suffered a ruptured Achilles, causing him to miss the rest of the series. The Warriors came back to win that game and send it back to Oracle down 3-2. Now, with the city of Oakland rallying around Kevin Durant and this resilient team, it seemed as if the Warriors were due to win Game 6. However, things only got worse for Golden State.
With 2:22 left in the third quarter, Klay Thompson suffered a knee injury. Thompson went into the locker room and came back out to shoot his two free throws. Despite that, he remained out the rest of the game and was later diagnosed with a torn ACL. In a tough Game 6, the Raptors capitalized on Thompson’s injury and defeated the Warriors 114-110 to win their first championship in NBA history.
The Raptors lifting the Larry O’Brien Trophy is obviously a huge accomplishment, but there’s a story just as big surrounding the Warriors. That is the question of where Golden State goes from here? After losing their chance at three straight championships, two of their three best players, and their chance at a dynasty, it’s hard to envision the Warriors coming back to the peak where they once were. For more reasons than one, the Warriors dynasty will never be the same.
Injuries
Usually, for a team like the Warriors, we expect them to just regroup and come back next season ready to contend. However, things have taken a turn for the worse. Both Kevin Durant (ruptured Achilles) and Klay Thompson (torn ACL) have suffered injuries that will affect the Warriors greatly. Why? Durant is expected to miss the entire 2019-20 season. Thompson, on the other hand, is expected to be out at least nine months.
That leaves Golden State in a massive hole in terms of keeping their five-straight NBA Finals streak alive. With two key players injured, that realistically leaves only Stephen Curry and Draymond Green to try to fill the void. DeMarcus Cousins is also a free agent this year. There’s much uncertainty about whether or not he’ll even return to a banged up Golden State squad. Many assumed Cousins came to the Warriors for an “easy ring,” but it was obviously far from that.
Durant and Thompson are both players that can be the first or second options on any team in the NBA. Their loss for a majority of the 2019-20 season hurts the Warriors greatly. Curry and Draymond are two tremendous players and both have contributed greatly to this five-year run, but it’s evident that teams are getting better. Curry and Draymond aren’t going to be enough to win the West. Teams are becoming more bolstered with talent. Who’s going to be the guy that picks up the slack when Curry is having an off night? If Klay doesn’t return at all, who’ll be the one that steps up in those pivotal playoff games? With these injuries, the Warriors are vulnerable.
Other Teams are on the Rise
As mentioned before, teams are getting better, making life for the Warriors more difficult. There are a handful of teams in this league that are on the road to being the NBA’s next potential dynasty. Some have already caused trouble for Golden State this season. But, as these teams look to be championship contenders in the near future, they’ll, without a doubt, expose the injuries sustained by the Warriors.
Denver Nuggets
The Nuggets can potentially make the NBA Finals in the absence of the super team Warriors. This year, they gave the Warriors some trouble in terms of seeding for the playoffs. Denver finished with a 54-28 record – second in the West. All year they battled back-and-forth with the Warriors for the first seed. Although they didn’t end up on top, this team appears to have a bright future.
Looking at this roster, players that immediately standout are Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray. Jokic has risen to be one of the best centers in the NBA. As for Murray, his backcourt tandem with Gary Harris is only going to get better as time goes on. Klay Thompson is out and Rockets’ guard Chris Paul is slowing down. Who’s to say that Murray and Harris can’t be the best backcourt in the NBA? Denver also boasts Mason Plumlee, Will Barton, and the yet to be seen Michael Porter Jr.
Portland Trail Blazers
Despite getting swept by the Warriors in the conference finals, the Blazers are returning healthy. Golden State is not. Led by Damian Lillard, the Blazers provided us with some of the best moments in this year’s playoffs. After losing Jusuf Nurkic before the postseason, many doubted if Portland could even make it out the first round. But, to our amazement, they made it all the way to the Conference Finals.
When you look at this team, there’s not really much missing. I mentioned how Jamal Murray and Gary Harris will be competing to be the West’s best backcourt. However, that title might just be held by Lillard and C.J. McCollum for now. The Trail Blazers are young, talented, and can contend in this conference. With the Warriors depleted, this gives Portland the perfect chance to finally come full circle in their season success. It’s worth mentioning again that they made it to the Conference Finals WITHOUT the services of Jusuf Nurkic.
Lillard is going to show out as a potential MVP candidate. McCollum will compliment him as one of the best shooting guards in the league. With them comes Evan Turner, Meyers Leonard, and Maurice Harkless among others. The Trail Blazers, due to Warrior injuries, are primed to be contenders in these coming years.
Los Angeles Lakers
The Lakers probably shouldn’t be on this list, but dynasties are characterized by teams who go on unprecedented runs of consistent success. On that note, Los Angeles is the best fit for a potential dynasty. The leading force behind the Lakers is obviously Lebron James. And, although no moves have been made by the Lakers, they’re still a formidable force with their current roster. We can’t forget that, before LeBron’s injury Christmas Day, Los Angeles was as high as the fourth seed in the West.
If anything has been proven by LeBron in the past few years, it’s that he can beat anyone not named the Golden State Warriors. With the Warriors out of the equation, the road is clear for LeBron to take over the league once again.
EDIT: They’ve finally kicked off their offseason by trading for Anthony Davis. Los Angeles sent Lonzo Ball, Brandon Ingram, Josh Hart, and three first-round picks to the Pelicans for Davis. This gives the Lakers the start they need towards what could be a potential dynasty. They have the space for one more star player which could be Kemba Walker, Jimmy Butler, or another piece. The Lakers pairing Davis and LeBron together has jumpstarted the Lakers’ championship dreams.
Free Agency
The talk surrounding free agency will never end. For the Warriors, that’s a huge part as to why their dynasty will never be the same. Golden State’s playoff run ended with some unfinished business. Every player and executive within the organization believes that if Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson were healthy, they’d be the 2019 NBA Champions. However, all the Warriors can focus on is the future. And, the future calls for the free agency of Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant.
Golden State reportedly plans to offer long-term contracts to both players despite their injuries. This is where problems arise because if both Thompson and Durant re-sign on long-term deals, that can mean a luxury tax bill of $200 million. With every move the Warriors make, more problems arise.
If the Warriors re-signed both Durant and Thompson long-term, that puts them with four contract players (Curry and Green currently) on long-term max contracts. This would mean the rest of the roster would mostly consist of players on minimum contracts. We all understand that these four players together are a part of one of the best teams in NBA history. But, these four with a bunch of minimum contract players, puts them at a major disadvantage.
Beyond all of that, Draymond Green is eligible for a large extension himself this summer. Green believes he’s a max contract player. However, the Warriors, if they re-sign Durant and Thompson, may have to let him go the season after. This leads to Golden State losing the heart and soul of their five-year run to the NBA Finals. As mentioned previously, this truly puts questions around the moves Golden State can/will make this summer. Each move leads to a problem.
How Kevin Durant Factors In
The spotlight of free agency has been on Kevin Durant. After an unfortunate postseason, he has unfinished business. He’s also due to miss the entire 2019-20 season. It makes no sense for Durant to opt into his $31.5 million player option if he misses the entire year.
Durant owes Golden State nothing after leading them to back-to-back championships in 2017 and 2018. Whether Kevin Durant stays or goes doesn’t change the fact that this Warriors dynasty will never be the same.
His season ended with a ruptured Achilles injury. This isn’t an injury where players return to normal form all that often. Using Kobe Bryant and DeMarcus Cousins as examples, they suffered Achilles injuries in 2013 and 2018 respectively. Neither player came back the same. Kobe returned to the court only to play 107 games in his final three seasons. Cousins, as we saw this season, had some key moments with the Warriors. Nevertheless, he still has yet to show any glimpses of the player he was before the injury.
Durant may not be the same player he once was. If the Warriors re-sign him to a max contract, they’d be overpaying Durant. Yes, he’s great, but we don’t know what form he’ll be in when he steps onto the floor again.
The Warriors Are Done
The Warriors have more and more questions to address as time goes on. For the time being, it certainly looks like this Warriors run is over for the near future. The injuries and concerns surrounding their free agents and future contracts are piled up. Beyond that, every move they make will be questioned. They’ll provide some sort of risk for the team long-term. The Warriors’ dynasty will never be the same.