How did the Warriors do in the offseason?
The Golden State Warriors failed to make the playoffs last season, losing in the second Play-In game to the Phoenix Suns after upsetting the Los Angeles Clippers in the first Play-In game.
This offseason was filled with promise as many expected the Warriors to take a big swing in an effort to maximize the twilight years of Steph Curry, who is entering the last year of his contract and will turn 39 in March.
While the Warriors were linked to LeBron James, and reportedly had trade talks regarding Jaylen Brown, they ultimately missed out on both targets.
They re-signed Draymond Green, who initially opted out of his player option to give the team more financial flexibility, and they re-signed Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, De’Anthony Melton, and Pary Payton II. They also signed Georges Niang and Brandon Williams.
They lost Quinten Post to a Memphis Grizzlies offer sheet.
They did draft Yaxel Lendeborg out of Michigan with the 11th overall pick, and he could immediately start on the team.
They also retained Steve Kerr as the head coach.
Grading The Offseason
The Warriors get marks for maintaining consistency and chemistry. While bringing back a tenth seed that is a year older might not be the sexiest move on paper, there is something to be said about familiarity in a league where rosters shift nearly every week.
The hope is that the team can get healthy and stay healthy, starting with Jimmy Butler, who will miss the start of the season with an ACL injury.
If they can, then they proved to be a playoff team through the first few months of the season last year with a healthy lineup.
The Grade - C-
The Warriors can hope for a healthy team and internal improvement, but at the end of the day, they’re bringing back a tenth seed that will be relying on older players and a rookie to be their best players.
The offseason started with a lot of promise as they were linked to LeBron James and made a heavy pitch to bring “The King” to The Bay, but fell short.
With the clock on Curry winding down, the front office felt pressure from the fans to put the best team around him, and they failed in that regard. The Warriors might not be as bad as people think, but they’re also not a contender in a stacked Western Conference with title favorites and improving young squads.
