During their dynasty, “Strength in Numbers” was more than just a slogan for the Golden State Warriors. It was their ethos. While the core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Kevin Durant and Draymond Green led the charge in those championship runs, the seamless fit of players such as Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston and Andrew Bogut helped boost the franchise with complementary skills. Those Warriors had the luxury of being able to start games lackadaisically before flipping the third-quarter switch. Their role players provided a jolt with buckets and swarming defense that led to even more buckets in transition as they cruised to myriad wins.
However, nothing in sports stays the same. The Western Conference is becoming younger and better, and the Warriors have failed to adapt.
Golden State has missed the playoffs three times in the past five seasons. Thompson left for the Dallas Mavericks in free agency during the offseason, and now it’s up to the younger players to make a leap to complement an aging Curry and Green. For the 2024-25 Warriors, it isn’t about “Strength in Numbers” anymore. It’s about the strengths and weaknesses of some largely unproven players who will determine their season.
FRONTCOURT
In his 13th season, Green is still the anchor of this unit. Offensively, he’s can still facilitate and push the pace in transition. Last season, he also made an effort to be more involved in auxiliary scoring. He posted the best 3-point shooting of his career at 39.5 percent. Granted, Green averaged only 8.6 points per game, but there were games in which he took advantage of open looks and recorded double-digit outings. With a lack of a consistent second option, Green must capitalize on opportunities to score.
Green is still the Warriors’ best defender, holding a net defensive rating of 110.7. He’s most disruptive when there’s freedom to roam, as opposed to having to compensate for blown rotations in zone coverage.
Health and availability are the biggest concerns with Green. Years of playing small-ball center and some questionable behavior are taking a toll. Green played only 55 games last season due to lengthy suspensions. The Warriors will need him healthy and playing under control if they are going to contend for a playoff spot.
Andrew Wiggins returns as the starting small forward and is looking for a bounce-back season. The 2022 All-Star took a leave of absence to deal with a personal matter for a second season in a row and labored through a campaign in which he averaged 13.2 points per game. When Wiggins played, he often was passive and unfocused on both ends of the floor. The Warriors need him to be aggressive.
Jonathan Kuminga made the most of his opportunities, averaging 21.9 points per 36 minutes. He was the only Warrior who could consistently put pressure on the rim with drives and dunks. He also can draw contact. The concern with Kuminga is his defense. He struggles in defending off the ball and with closeouts. He also has a habit of biting on pump fakes. Moving forward, Kuminga must be more disciplined defensively as he continues to carve out a niche in the rotation.
Kevon Looney and Trayce Jackson-Davis are also back. Looney is looking to return to the rotation after playing himself out of it last season. Jackson-Davis is looking for more consistent minutes.
BACKCOURT
Curry is 36 and shouldn’t have to carry the Warriors offense single-handedly. On the other hand, Curry has enough left in the tank to do it if necessary. Still, last season’s numbers — 26.4 points per game, shooting splits of 45/41/92 — were a bit pedestrian by his standards. Now that Thompson is gone, Curry will have to shoulder more of a scoring burden than ever before and also win battles of attrition. Opposing defense will use Curry’s off-ball style against him and make him defend, which will wear him down as games progress.
Brandin Podziemski hustled his way into the rotation and is the incumbent at the 2. He’s a solid ball-handler and facilitator, and he knows when to hit Curry with the timely pass. At 6-foot-5, he’s also a good rebounder for his size and led the team in plus/minus (+3.6). However, the issue with a starting backcourt of Podziemski and Curry is that it’s easier for opposing offenses to attack. It would be better for the Warriors if there were an open competition for the 2. Newcomers Buddy Hield and De’Anthony Melton may be better fits because they provide more spacing and offense (Hield) and better defense (Melton).
The underused Moses Moody might be an even better fit alongside Curry. Moody has the tools to be a solid 3-and-D wing for the Warriors. Despite being used sparingly, the third-year guard out of Arkansas shot a respectable 46.2 percent from the field and held his own defensively. Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has nothing to lose by carving out rotational minutes for Moody.
Gary Payton II also returns. Like Podziemski, the 6-foot-2 Payton plays bigger than his size and is a connector. Unlike Podziemski, Payton is more of a defender than a facilitator, but he also can score on occasion. After an injury-plagued season, look for Payton to return to form.
FINAL ANALYSIS
The Warriors have been trying to win while also developing for the future. The problem with that approach is that the development has been largely nonexistent. Instead of prepping the Jonathan Kumingas and Moses Moodys of the world to step up, Kerr gave them DNPs and little to no run in past seasons. Now, when the team needs a consistent and competent infusion of youth to bolster its legendary veteran core, it might be relying on these younger players to take an unrealistic leap to compete.
The addition of other vets around the margins to complement Curry and Green is a savvy move given the team’s financial constraints. However, it may not be enough to contend for a top-six spot in a stacked Western Conference.
On the other hand, it wouldn’t be wise to count out a team led by Curry.