Kurtenbach: The Golden State Warriors head into season lacking just one thing
As NBA season tips off, there’s no margin for error for Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Warriors have a lot to be excited about as the season begins.
Chris Paul, a former foe, is now a friend, and his seamless integration with the blue and yellow makes you wonder why you disliked him in the first place. Jonathan Kuminga appears to be on track for a third-year jump. Brandin Podziemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis, both rookies, appear to be seasoned veterans.
Also returning are Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, and Kevon Looney.
Oh, and Steph Curry is still the man in charge at Chase Center.
With star power, veteran prowess, positional versatility, and serious depth, the Warriors have every reason to believe they can make up for last year’s humiliating second-round exit and contend for a title — Curry’s fifth.
At the very least, the preseason did not include a fistfight. That’s a good starting point.
However, the Warriors lack margin for error heading into the 2023-24 season, which begins Tuesday night against Kevin Durant and the Phoenix Suns.
The Warriors are banking on their ability (and Curry) to lead them back to title contention. Even with two rookies and a 21-year-old (Kuminga) on the roster, Golden State enters the season as the NBA’s oldest team.
For the Warriors, it’s truly now or never.
All of the connectivity (the preseason buzzword) and good vibes in the world won’t matter if the Warriors spend the majority of the season coasting, lollygagging, or seriously injured.
The Warriors have 14 capable players, but they are not as talented as previous editions. Kuminga is a rising star, but he’s not the type of player who can anchor a team. Not yet, and possibly never. Thompson, Green, and Paul have all passed their prime. That is undeniable. Wiggins remains the team’s X-factor, implying the wing’s inability to be trusted. In their tenth season, no one is truly an enigma — using that term is simply easier than saying “untrustworthy.”
Curry’s world continues to revolve around the Warriors as he enters his 15th NBA season.
Fifteen seasons in the same uniform is a sight to behold in today’s game.
“It means everything,” Curry recently said about his time with the Warriors. “There’s no need for a change of scenery right now.” It’s just a matter of being in a position where it’s not a formality. We’re here to win, and I’m doing everything I can to continue to be a leader in that regard and position ourselves to be championship contenders.
“In this league, you can’t control everything and you can’t guarantee anything, and every team is trying to improve.” That’s the nature of the competition, but if I can do it every year and continue to represent this organization and everything we’ve built, it’s a dream come true.”
If the two-time MVP performs at an MVP level again, even at the age of 36, the Warriors will be able to claim a high seed in the Western Conference and compete for a championship. After all, there are many parallels to the 2021-22 season, when the Warriors stunned the NBA world by resurrecting the dynasty.
However, any drop-off from Curry (currently unforeseeable, but still possible) or long-term injury to him will bring the entire operation to a halt.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr refers to this level of reliance on superstars as “the real NBA.”
The league is harsh and unforgiving.
It’s also a league with a lot of parity, especially in the West. The Warriors’ ability to tell people in October that they would be busy for the first few weeks of June is long gone.
In reality, 12 teams are vying for eight playoff spots. Last season, the Warriors needed a victory in the final regular-season game to avoid the play-in tournament. It was their 11th road victory of the season, a low total that foreshadowed what was to come in the playoffs.
Making the playoffs, on the other hand, is for other teams. For the Warriors, disappointment came when they were two wins away from reaching the Western Conference Finals.
Anything less than a trip to the conference finals this season will call into question the team’s future direction. Could the Warriors’ Big Three be on their way out? Very possibly. Thompson is set to become a free agent at the conclusion of the season. (Paul is as well.)
Curry and the Warriors must win if they are to keep this crazy, unbelievable dream alive.
Maybe they will. Maybe they won’t. Predicting the NBA is a fool’s errand these days.
But, in any case, make the most of the time between now and spring. You never know how long your dreams will last.
