By: Matt Anderson

We are days away from the start of the 2023-2024 Golden State Warriors season. The Dubs are, by most experts, a team that has a puncher's chance to win a title (at best). The Western Conference is talented and deep. The Warriors are going to hope that last year's malaise was an aberration caused by the chemistry shattering punch and that the offseason moves fix the vibes. Given the schedule, the team better hope that the road woes were a result of relying too much on youth and inexperience and not some new reality. If this team has another slow start, they could be looking at a hole that is too deep to climb out of.

Many outlets have their season previews. Here at The Warriors Huddle, we wanted to do one that does not tread the same path as the others. Instead of looking at this year's squad as a whole, we wanted to focus on three players to watch, using that as our frame to talk about this season's prospects. Without further ado, here's that list:

1. Klay Thompson - One of the core dynastic pieces is the only one left without a contract for next year. There was hope a few weeks ago that a deal would get done, and indeed, Klay gave an interview to The Athletic's Anthony Slater suggesting a new contract was not something that would be an issue. A few days ago, however, Klay posted an Instagram story set to Tupac's "Me Against the World." That was concerning, especially since it came on the heels of a Woj report that contract talks had stalled. While it may be true that Klay will not be a locker room malcontent if he does not enter the season with a new deal (and talks have seemed to stall in the last few days), that does not mean it won't have a negative impact on the team. Last season saw three phases of Klay: atrocious, amazing, then atrocious again. Many are chalking the atrocious stretches up to his lack of playing basketball in the offseason (came in rusty, ran out of gas). But, those people forget the other piece of that atrocious start. Does the name Charles Barkley ring a bell? What about Klay showing Devon Booker four fingers after getting roasted by Booker so bad it led to a Klay ejection? During that opening 3-7 stretch of the season last year, one of the problems was that Klay was playing for Klay. He was not playing within the offense and, instead, appeared to be trying to prove the haters that he was still Klay.

It will be interesting to see how Klay's motivation for getting a new contract presents itself. Will we see the Klay from the start of last year, trying to prove he was still KLAY, chucking shots, playing selfishly, and being an overall negative to the on-court product? Or, will he be motivated to show his value to the Warriors? Will he play within the offense, raise his defensive game, and generally be the overwhelming positive that he was December through March? If he's the latter, not only will he get the contract he wants (or close to it) from the Warriors, but the team will be very successful. If he's the latter, he might get the contract he wants (but from someone else) despite the fact that the team under achieves for the second straight year.

2. Andrew Wiggins - Listeners to the Huddle will not be new to the importance of Wiggins this year. Our esteemed host beat me to this take a few episodes back. But in the run-up to the season, not many people seem to be talking about Wiggins and his role on the team. He missed 37 games last year, and that two-way force was severely missed. Between injuries and his family issues, Wiggins never really had a chance to show that his 2022 playoff form was the new norm. And for the Warriors' sake, we have to hope it is. Wiggins' offensive role has always been fairly consistent: he doesn't need to be electric just steady. While people forget about it, there is little worry he can't continue that from the start this year. Instead, it is the defensive end where Wiggs will need to show that 2022 magic. The key to every Warriors championship has been the team's defense. Right now, it is hard to see how this team will reach that same defensive competency of the title teams.

Instead, it looks like this team will be the middle of the road defense it was last year. Yes, Draymond Green and Kevon Looney are about as good of a backline as you will find in the NBA. Where the Warriors have concerns is on the perimeter. Klay used to be the guy who could lock down the best perimeter player on the opposing team. Steph, while incredibly underrated as a defender, cannot be tasked with being the primary scorer and ball stopper. Chris Paul will be an improvement over the prior Number 3, but the 38 year old 6' guard has his limitations. The job of locking down the perimeter will be given to Wiggins, Gary Payton III, and Jonathan Kuminga. The team will need Wiggins to do what he did to Luka and Tatum back in May/June 2022 if it wants to have any semblance of a top-10 defense. Furthermore, if Wiggins can tap back into the rebounding that was so crucial in that run (especially on the offensive glass), the team will be poised for a much more successful campaign than last time out.

3. Moses Moody - Much has been made of Kuminga making a third-year leap, and the Huddle expects that he will. But overlooked is JK's draft mate: Moses Moody. In his first two years in the league, Moody has started the season as an afterthought/end of the bench guy. The man, however, stays ready. Whenever given the opportunity, he performs. He hits his shots, he defends, he plays solid basketball. As a result, by the end of each year, he makes prominent postseason contributions.

Right now, when everyone is healthy, Moody is probably the fifth guard in the rotation. So, again he is an afterthought. If he can do what he has done the last few years in seizing every opportunity, it could be invaluable to this team. In all likelihood, Steph, Klay, and CP3 will sit a not insignificant number of games. If Moody can be the Moody we have seen at the end of each year each time he has to step in for one of them, the team will survive their absences. Moses' career per 36 are 13 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists. There was a player who was key to the Warriors' 2022 title whose per 36 were 13-9-2. Like Moody, he was a 36-37% three point shooter. He was also a stout defender. That man was, Otto Porter Jr. The Warriors really missed a player like that last year. And while Moody's rebounding so far has not been quite as good as OPJ's, it is very realistic to think Moody could take that role. At 6'6 with a 7'1 wingspan, Moody could be a solid defender of 2s, 3s, and 4s and a guy who hits the open three when passed the ball. If Moody can do that, this Warriors' team will be a tough one to beat on a night-to-night basis