Former NBA point guard and two-time All-Star **Baron Davis** shared his insights on the future of the Golden State Warriors.
“The Warriors are rightly viewed as one of the top contenders for the championship. Steph’s injury during the series against Minnesota threw the team off balance and contributed to their early playoff exit. However, with the addition of Jimmy Butler, who now serves as a second leader alongside Steph, the team opens up new opportunities. Opponents continue to focus their defense on Curry, but now the Warriors have Jimmy—an athlete capable of consistently scoring and drawing fouls, which adds more variety to their offense.
The team’s prospects heavily depend on their ability to strengthen their roster during the offseason, particularly by injecting more athleticism into the ‘big’ positions. In my opinion, this is the quality they lacked in the frontcourt to compete with players like Jokic and Naz Reid in the West.
It was clear the team struggled with rebounding, a point even Steve Kerr acknowledged. **Draymond Green**, who played a significant portion of the season at center, simply wore out by the end of the year—and I noticed that as well. If they can find reinforcement for that position, it could significantly alter the competitive landscape.
As it stands, the Warriors are undoubtedly still contenders. Without Curry’s injury, they could have reached the Western Conference Finals. However, we must remember that other teams will be looking to improve as well. Just look at teams like Oklahoma and Indiana—one of them could well win the championship, and everyone else will need to adjust to the emergence of new leaders.
When watching Oklahoma and Indiana, it’s striking how balanced their rosters are: they possess youth, athleticism, and the ability to score. All competitors will need to consider restructuring—one of these teams will succeed, and to remain among the league’s favorites, adaptations to these new realities will be necessary,” Davis stated, as reported by Basketball Insiders.
