Obviously, we wouldve won a lot more video games. Steph is so talented that he wouldve certainly won plenty of games on his own.”
Being down two All-Stars is a challenging task for any team, but Warriors coach Steve Kerr confessed Friday he didnt have much hope prior to Currys injury. When 95.7 The Games Damon Bruce asked Kerr what Golden States season wouldve appeared like with Curry healthy the entire year, Kerr stated the Warriors still wouldve dealt with an uphill climb into contention.
The Warriors were in the midst of a 1-3 start, currently missing out on Klay Thompson as he rehabbed a torn ACL. Thompson would not play the remainder of the season, Curry just played one more time the rest of the method as Golden State had an NBA-worst 15-50 record when the season was suspended in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
When Steph Curry broke his left hand the night before last Halloween, any remaining hope that the Warriors would make sound in a packed Western Conference this season was dashed.
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Maybe the Warriors, fighting for playoff positioning, dont make all of those moves if Currys healthy. Kerr formerly showed a Russell trade mayve been inescapable because of the guards fit (or do not have thereof) along with Curry and Thompson, so its possible– if not most likely– Golden State still trades Russell while in a postseason chase.
Curry, Draymond Green, Kevon Looney and Jacob Evans were the only Warriors who dressed in Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals and in the first video game of the 2019-20 routine season. The Warriors had seven brand-new players in their opening-night lineup, aside from Damion Lee, who played 32 games with Golden State during the previous regular season but none in the playoffs.
The two-time MVP got a taste of much more lineup turnover in March. Curry played his fifth– and, ultimately, final– game of the season on March against the Toronto Raptors. He appeared like his old self, however the rest of the Warriors lineup was indistinguishable from the one that started the season, not to mention the one that lost the Raptors in the 2019 Finals.
With Curry, Kerr stated the Warriors still wouldve dealt with a steep learning curve due to all the lineup turnover. Considering Curry had played over an additional seasons worth of games (93) during Golden States 5 Finals runs, it arguably was more beneficial for the guard to miss out on all the time he did this season.
Out were Evans, DAngelo Russell, Omari Spellman, Glenn Robinson and Alec Burks (who didnt play on opening night). In were Andrew Wiggins, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Mychal Mulder and Dragan Bender. Robinson and Burks were traded to the contending Philadelphia 76ers for draft capital, but Russell, Evans and Spellman brought Wiggins, whom the Warriors hope will fill a vital function on the wing moving forward.
” It was– in a weird way, he almost required the break,” Kerr continued. Now, perhaps this is too long of a break (after the season was suspended due to the pandemic), but I simply feel like that quick of a turnaround (this summer) coming off that five-year run with that big of a roster change, we wouldve truly had to seek an identity.
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Out were Evans, DAngelo Russell, Omari Spellman, Glenn Robinson and Alec Burks (who didnt play on opening night). Robinson and Burks were traded to the contending Philadelphia 76ers for draft capital, however Russell, Evans and Spellman brought Wiggins, whom the Warriors hope will fill a crucial role on the wing moving forward.
Curry played his fifth– and, eventually, last– game of the season on March versus the Toronto Raptors. He looked like his old self, however the rest of the Warriors lineup was unrecognizable from the one that started the season, let alone the one that lost the Raptors in the 2019 Finals.
Now, the Warriors are equipped with (at least) a top-five choice heading into Octobers NBA draft. Whether thats utilized to prepare a prospect or in a trade for a veteran, Curry will as soon as again need to get utilized to playing together with some brand-new faces.
Now, maybe this is too long of a break (after the season was suspended due to the pandemic), however I just feel like that fast of a turn-around (this summertime) coming off that five-year run with that huge of a lineup change, we wouldve truly had to seek an identity.
With health on his (and Thompsons) side and rest in the rearview mirror whenever next season starts, the Warriors are counting on being much closer to constructing an identity than they showed to be this season.
