After dominating the NBA for so long, the Golden State Warriors and their talisman, Stephen Curry, have been unable to make the playoffs since 2019. Nevertheless, the 33-year-old had arguably his best year during the 2020-21 campaign without fellow sharpshooter Klay Thompson and almost carried them into the postseason.
Curry is due for a contract extension, one that will create NBA history for its worth. However, in order for the Golden State Warriors to maximize the time they have left with the point guard at his peak, they will need to make various adjustments in the offseason.
Three ways in which the Golden State Warriors can maximize Stephen Curry's excellence
Stephen Curry shocked the league this year with his staggering shooting displays. He ended the campaign as the NBA's leading scorer, draining the most threes and having seven games of scoring ten threes, the most in league history.
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Although there is some concern he may want to leave the Golden State Warriors, Dub Nation fans should feel comfortable in knowing that he will likely want to finish his career with the franchise. However, in order to ensure that Curry is satisfied with the organization's ambitions, the team's leaders will need to make sure his greatness is maximized.
#3 Ease Klay Thompson back in
The Golden State Warriors and Stephen Curry have undoubtedly missed one of the greatest shooters the franchise has ever had. Klay Thompson has gone through the first eight years of his career avoiding major injuries. However, the 31-year-old shooting guard has suffered back-to-back achilles injuries that have seen him not compete in the NBA since the 2019 Finals.
Thompson is an elite marksman from the floor and is Stephen Curry's shooting partner, connecting with 42% of his career threes and 46% of his field-goal efforts. Without him, the Golden State Warriors would not have won three championship titles in the past seven campaigns.
Whilst the Warriors missed their backcourt partnership this year. Kelly Oubre Jr. struggled at times to live up to Thompson's status and they shouldn't be in any rush to get him back on the court. The former first round pick injured his Achilles in training prior to the 2020-21 campaign, therefore showing how dangerous it can be to compete having suffered a serious injury.
If Steve Kerr wants to bring his team once again into the playoffs, they will need Thompson at his best and not cheer on his teammates from the sidelines again.
#2 Find worthy bench veterans
It's easy to assume that Klay Thompson's return could solve the Golden State Warriors' problems and maximize Stephen Curry's brilliance. However, the Warriors are still feeling the effects of losing bench stalwarts Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston.
While the Warriors bench didn't perform particularly poorly during the 2020-21 campaign, finishing 16th in points and with a +/- of 0.5, they lacked the reliability of sides in the past. If the organization wants to make the most of Curry's unbelievable performances, they need to give coach Kerr faith in who he can bring on.
To do that, they may look at bringing in some veteran experience to pair with the likes of Jordan Poole and Eric Paschall. Kelly Oubre Jr. has already voiced his concerns about being a role player, therefore they could use him as a tradeable commodity. P.J. Tucker is set to become a free agent, while Eric Gordon could be brought in as part of a sign-and-trade deal for Oubre, a deal that would be beneficial to both sides.
#1 Bring in another superstar
Paramount to the Golden State Warriors being able to compete next season and maximizing Steph Curry's output is finding another superstar to have on the court with him and Klay Thompson. There are fewer bigger markets than the Warriors, which is a strong tool in trade negotiations.
If the Warriors want to compete in the playoffs, let alone return to the postseason, they will need to make some roster changes. Luckily for them, they have a lot of chips. Andrew Wiggins, James Wiseman, Eric Paschall, Jordan Poole and Kevon Looney could all be used in a trade package. As too could their 2021 first-round picks or their 2025 draft picks.
All of this puts the Golden State Warriors in the market for several of the league's top stars. Several teams will be trying to gauge what the Washington Wizards want for Bradley Beal in the offseason, while Damian Lillard has voiced his frustrations with the Portland Trail Blazers' new coaching appointment. They could also trade for an established big such as Domantas Sabonis or Marvin Bagley III.
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