Joe Lacob – Warriors Huddle

April 17, 2024 — No Comments

It’s Time

By: Matt Anderson

The Golden State Warriors have missed the playoffs three times in the last five years.

This year's team sealed that stat with a complete no-show in Sacramento last night. While the "vibes" may have been better, the fact that that 2023-2024 Warriors were a ten seed proved the adage that if you are standing still, you're moving backwards. The same is going to be true this offseason. Oklahoma City, Houston, and Memphis are all going to be better next season. Denver, Minnesota, Dallas, Phoenix, New Orleans, and the Clippers are not going anywhere. That's ten teams right there. We don't even have to mention the Kings (who just thumped us) or the Lakers, who might take a step back due to player movement/age but could be just as good next year. It also does not factor in the Spurs taking a giant leap after year 1 of the Victor Wembanyama experience.

Last night's flame out is just another in a season-long line of signals that a drastic change is necessary for this franchise (and which your humble scribe has pointed out many times now). Afterwards, Stephen Curry told The Ringer: "I want to win. Plain and simple. It's not my job to make all of those decisions, but it's my job to hold people accountable...." This is as close to acting like Lebron that Steph will ever get, and it is telling he's reached that point. Whatever team employs 30 should be challenging for a title, and if they aren't they are doing him a disservice. And Steph is telling Joe Lacob and Mike Dunlevy, Jr. that.

It is now the front office's job to respond to that message. There are only two responses that will be acceptable here. The first, and the one with a percentage chance that is infinitesimally small, would be to ship Steph to a contender and start a full-scale rebuild. I'll say it again for the people in the back: that is not happening. The other response will be to do whatever it takes to win another title with Stephen Curry. Not win another title with Steph and Klay. Not win another title with Steph and Dray. Not win another title with Steph and Wiggins. Not win another title with Steph and anyone. It is Steph and Steph alone that matters.

There have been two massive problems plaguing this team since 2022. The first is inconsistency. Practically every player not named Steph is a yo-yo player. Some nights they look like they are absolutely critical to the success of the team. The next, you wonder why they are even playing. For some of these players, that is just the consequence of being young and inexperienced in the NBA (e.g., Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin, Trayce Jackson-Davis, Brandin Podziemski) . For others, it's the consequence of being old in the NBA (see, Klay Thompson, Chris Paul, Kevon Looney). Some, this inconsistency is because of their availability (like Draymond, or Gary Payton II). Others, it is baffling like Andrew Wiggins and Moses Moody (though that is less on him and more on Steve Kerr).

The second problem is that there is no second. This last month of the season, Steph looked exhausted more times than he should. For the current iteration of this team, given the discussed inconsistencies, Steph, at 36 years old, has to carry a massive scoring and creating load. If this team is going to be successful in the near-term, they need to find a second player who can take the ball and make the offense go. This is obviously easier said than done, given the financial state of the team. And that is what is going to make this summer so difficult for the front office and Warriors fans.

Moves have to be made. And some of those moves are going to have to be painful. One of the most frustrating things about this past season was the feeling that if we could just get everyone playing at a B+ or better, this team would be great. But the sample size is large enough to see that most of our players cannot be a B+ or better every night. And that makes life exhausting for the only A+ on the roster. I love Klay Thompson. He is my favorite Warrior ever. But the team really needs to think long and hard about how much his dwindling talent and lack of ability to show up in the post season is worth. Draymond may be the heartbeat of the team, but Dunleavy needs to consider whether we want to keep playing with that fire or if we sell while he's sellable. GP2 is a great story, but is his unavailability a problem? Kuminga took a leap this year, and we need to figure out if that leap should be parlayed into someone who can contribute to a title right now.

All of this must be done with the backdrop of the new financial rules. Ducking the second apron is a must. Getting out of the tax would be phenomenal. But the over all goal has to be clear: these moves have been made to win a title.

Published by Matt Anderson in Uncategorized

Tags: Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green, Joe Lacob, Jonathan Kuminga, Klay, Klay Thompson, Moses Moody, Stephen Curry

March 27, 2024 — No Comments

Play-In Placebo

By Matt Anderson

As of publication, the Golden State Warriors have a one game lead (plus the tiebreaker) over the hard-charging Houston Rockets (winners of 9 of their last 10 games) for the tenth and final spot in the NBA's Play-In Tournament. The Warriors have been slumping since Stephen Curry went out with an ankle injury at the end of the March 7 game against the Bulls. The team went 1-3 without him (including an embarrassing 13 point loss to at Spurs team without Victor Wembanyama or Devin Vassell at Chase Center). They have gone 3-3 since he's been back. Those three losses: a listless performance against an undermanned Knicks, a no-show in a must-win against the Pacers, and another blown fourth quarter lead in Minneapolis.

A few weeks ago, Dub Nation was doing the math on getting a sixth seed. Now, we are crossing our fingers and toes hoping the team has just enough gas left in the tank to hold off a young and hungry Houston team. For what, though? To go to Crypto.com Arena and have the season ended by Lebron James and the Lakers? To maybe win two play-in games on the road for the privilege of being swept by a Denver team that doesn't sweat to beat the Warriors anymore?

Some may argue that this team has a puncher's chance because they have Steph Curry or that any playoff-like experience will help youngsters like Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski, or Trayce Jackson-Davis. And that may be true (at least the latter part). But getting the 10 seed might also do more harm than good.

Two years ago, the Warriors hoisted their fourth banner in eight years. It was my favorite title because it proved so many nay-sayers wrong, particularly with regards to Steph's ability to lead a team to the promised land. But since that title we have had: The Punch, Wiggins disappearing (literally and figuratively), Klay struggling with his mortality; more Draymond violence; Steph injuries; Chris Paul injuries; and, most importantly, the unfortunate sudden passing of Dejan Milojevic. Then there is also the phenomenon of players/teams who can't hit the broadside of a barn from three lighting us up, or 8th men having career nights against us, or countless games blown at the last minute.

It seems that since the confetti dropped in TD Garden in June 2022, the Warriors have had rotten luck. But, nearly two years is not bad luck. And to quote the late great Obi Wan Kenobi: "in my experience, there's no such thing as luck." At some point that "bad luck" is not bad luck, but the result of organizational failures. Failure to understand the role of big men in today's NBA. Failure to timely develop younger players. Failure to adopt a defensive scheme that accounts for improved three-point shooting. Failure to play with consistency or urgency. From top to bottom, the Warriors have had a hand in their own demise.

A postseason appearance could cloud an honest self assessment. Last year's whimper of a title defense was chalked up to bad vibes. This year the vibes have been, by all accounts, great. Yet, the team is essentially performing the same. I wrote back in December that the franchise was at a turning point, and some of the issues were addressed. But, it turns out, those issues were only the start of the problem, because the new configuration of the team is just as inconsistent and lackadaisical as the old. The franchise needs a rude awakening, and missing the post season entirely could be just that. It will force the club to declare its intentions for the next half decade. Will the push every button and flip every lever to put a team around Steph worthy of competing for a fifth ring? Will they ride Steph, Klay, and Dray into a sunset of mediocrity? Or will they close the book on the Dynasty and begin building the next iteration of this team?

As a fan, I want this team to clearly message what it is doing. Without tough introspection, I fear they will continue to flail around hoping that small moves on the edges will somehow drastically change the .500 team we've watched the last two years. That's why missing the play-in and the sugar coating it would allow might be the best thing for the Warriors. Anything that would give the front office, coaching staff, or players to hide from their roles in the recent mediocrity is bad for the team.

The current version of the Warriors is very far away from being a Western Conference Finals team, much less a champion. Consequently, marginal moves are unlikely to change that. So if missing the play-in is what it takes to convince every level of the organization to make the big moves necessary to put us back into contention, then that is a good thing.

Published by Matt Anderson in Blog

Tags: Andrew Wiggins, Chris Paul, Draymond Green, Joe Lacob, Klay Thompson, Stephen Curry

December 4, 2023 — 1 Comment

Quarter Season Check-In: Two Roads

By: Matt Anderson

We are twenty games and practically a quarter of the way through the 2023-24 NBA season, which is an excellent time to perform a high-level diagnoses of how the Warriors are doing. Let's start with the hard numbers: they are 9 and 11, 11th in the West. They have an offensive rating of 114.8 (13th), a defensive rating of 114.4 (16th), and a net rating of +0.3 (17th). These numbers are a pretty apt descriptor of a very "meh" performance by the team so far this year.

As listeners to the popular soccer podcast, Men in Blazers, know, there is a German word for "turning point," Wendepunkt. It feels, a quarter of the way through the season that the franchise is at its Wendepunkt. The team started 6-2 despite a brutal schedule that saw them play 8 games in 7 different cities with two back-to-backs thrown in for good measure. They also survived either the literal or figurative absence of Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, and Draymond Green. Since then, the team is 3-9 and has blown leads of 17, 24, and 22 to teams they allegedly will be competing with for a playoff spot. This recent nosedive in performance has prompted the question: Do the Warriors stay true and loyal to the core that won them three titles, regardless of the results, out of respect and reverence? Or is it time to make some people uncomfortable in the hopes of securing another banner?

This Warriors team is older, smaller, less athletic, and slower, than most teams in the NBA. Where they will win is savvy, guile, and experience. So far, however, they have not utilized that advantage. They still turn the ball over way too much. They still foul too much. Many would say that the fouling issue is due to the lack of athleticism, but I would argue they are smart enough to defend without fouling despite that deficit. The problem is that it is the veterans who have been just as guilty as the youngsters of these issues. And this could be where Coach Steve Kerr's philosophy of yanking younger players at the slightest whiff of a mistake has started to act like a double-edged sword. It has conditioned the likes of Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody to make smart plays and hustle plays. But at the same time, it has given Steph, Klay, Dray, and Wiggins a greenlight to play however they would like with no fear of consequences. This has led to sloppy turnovers, selfish shot-hunting, lack of hustle, and unhinged behavior on the part of a certain veteran.

For years, this reliance on the vets was a sound strategy; they were simply better than the younger players. But for the first time, that may not be the case. Moody, JK, and Brandin Podziemski have all shown that they are strong, capable players willing to do the little things for the team to succeed. They fight hard every possession and execute well when given the opportunities. Yet, as the recent flameout versus Sacramento showed, that might not matter. Moody had a hot hand as the game tightened, yet he was still taken out in favor of a veteran who provided precisely zero points in the fourth quarter. This not only may have cost the Warriors a much-needed win, but undermined the entire Steve Kerr philosophy of "close with the players of have earned it that night."

It is clear that something needs to change with this Warriors team if the goal is to win as many titles as possible. Is that a trade? Maybe, but that is some very complicated calculus that depends on a lot of factors outside of the team's control (namely, the willingness of another team to make a deal). There are, however, things the team can control that could provide that Wendepunkt. It starts with having tough conversations with the veterans. They need to know they will be held accountable for their detrimental actions, that they are not untouchable. Many have speculated that the team cannot do that because, for example, Klay's ego is too fragile. The man, who is known for his Game 6 do-or-die heroics, who has won four titles, and who has come back from two absolutely devastating leg injuries does not have a fragile ego. People claiming he is not tough enough to handle tough love and demanding standards are not giving him nearly enough credit. Similarly with Draymond, he may think he is untouchable after getting a new contract post-punch. But if his antics continue to be toxic, the team can bench him, and he has no recourse. No team will trade for him; so, it will be shape up or sit down.

In short, if the Warriors want to have even a faint shot at a title, they need to make drastic changes led by their veterans. They need to put all of their energies into playing the smartest, most connected basketball they can. Because they will need every ounce of experience and familiarity to make up for the clear lack of ability to physically match the best teams in the league. They showed they can do it back in 2022. The question remains as to whether that was the last gasp for this group, or if a change in how they've played the last 1.25 seasons can bear the same fruit.

Published by Matt Anderson in Blog

Tags: Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green, Joe Lacob, Jonathan Kuminga, Klay Thompson, Moses Moody, Stephen Curry, Steve Kerr

June 23, 2023 — 1 Comment

Warriors Free Agency Primer

By: Matt Anderson

Wow. Yesterday was one of the wildest days Warriors fans have experienced in the Lacob era. Gone are Jordan Poole, Patrick Baldwin, Jr., and Ryan Rollins. In are <gulp> Chris Paul, Brandin Poziemski, and Trayce Jackson-Davis. These moves were as much about roster and salary management as they were about basketball. But that is not why we are here today. We are here to look at how Mike Dunleavy, Jr. and Co. are going to fill out the roster.

As we have seen the last few years, these seemingly marginal moves can make all the difference in the outcome of the season. Two years ago, the Dubs absolutely nailed the Otto Porter, Nemanja Bjelica, Gary Payton III signings, and we won the title. Last year, was 50/50: Donte DiVincenzo was great; JaMychal Green, not so much. As a result, the Warriors had to rely too much on players who simply were not ready to play that kind of role on a championship team.

As of writing this, the Warriors officially have eight players under contract for next year. The hope is that number will be nine in the coming days, with Draymond Green deciding to re-sign with the team. It would be fantastic for DDV to take his player option, but he will probably command offers higher than $4.725 million. We can also bank on the two draftees signing roster contracts. In all likelihood, the Dubs will keep their 15th roster spot open to help save some tax money. Thus, we can realistically look at three free agent signings and two two-way signings. Though, if years past tell us anything, those two-way contracts won't be finalized until the last minute. Furthermore, the due to the new collective bargaining agreement, the Warriors can only sign players to veteran minimums. So, without further ado, here are some players that Warriors should try to sign.

T.J. Warren: Warren fits the OPJ model of player with immense talent that has been held back by injuries the last few years. Starting with the 2020-2021 season, Warren has played 4, 0, and 42 games. But when he's right, he's a great scorer and could slot in nicely in the second unit. In theory, he could replace a good portion of JP's scoring output.

Lonnie Walker IV: He shot 45/37/86, meaning he would be another possible JP second unit scorer replacement. He's not much of a rebounder or a defender, though. And we all know Steve Kerr expects that the bench players to do the little things if they want playing time. Also, signing him might be the Doc Rivers mistake of signing someone just because they had a good playoff game against you.

Austin Rivers: Speaking of the Rivers family.... Look, if we are going to sign players Dub Nation hates, why not catch 'em all. The younger Rivers is still a good defender and a respectable shooter. Kerr loves vets with high IQ, and Austin Rivers is one of those.

Frank Kamisky: Kamisky is another savvy player who does the little things. An eight-year vet who was once a top ten pick? He fits the Warriors mold of being able to coax production out of players many gave up on (see Wiggins, Andrew). As a bonus, Kamisky shot the three well last year after years of flirting with the ability to stretch the floor.

Dario Saric: Saric would be another "Celebrini" signing: a player that has been hampered by injuries recently that the Warrirors bank on thriving health-wise under Rick Celebrini's care. While he played the lowest minutes per game of his career last year, Saric shot 46/39/83. Add in his basketball IQ, and he could be a great back-up big.

Wenyen Gabriel: Gabriel is a tazmanian devil, playing with energy and heart. What he lacks in skill, he makes up for in hustle. Could he play a role like Javale McGee played for the Warriors? I think so.

Rodney McGruder: McGruder is a tough, hardnosed guard who had to scrap his way into the league. He came up through Miami, so he has that "Heat Culture" background. As a result, he does all the little things right, including playing tenacious defense. And while last year he was a great three point shooter, he's only been an average shooter through his career.

Torrey Craig: Craig might command more than a vet minimum, but if the Warriors could get him, that would be a steal. He stretches the floor, rebounds, and defends well, which would be perfect as a backup to Kevon Looney. He does, however, have a tendency to make head scratching plays, which we all know can get a player glued to Kerr's bench.

Yuta Watanabe: It's incredible that a guy who is under 30, shot over 40% from three, and is a plus defender is not only available, but projected to be a vet minimum player. Putting him on the floor with Steph and Klay would give him more open looks than he could ever dream of.

The Known Quantities: The Dubs could also bring back players we know all about. Last year, the vibes were off. Who better to reset that locker room than Juan Toscano-Anderson or Damion Lee? Why not roll the dice and see if Lester Quinones' fantastic G-League season was a fluke? I'm sure there are many in Dub Nation who would hate these moves, but they have some upside (and I will always have a soft spot in my heart for JTA).

Published by Matt Anderson in Blog

Tags: Draymond Green, Joe Lacob, Jordan Poole, Klay, Klay Thompson, Stephen Curry

May 16, 2023 — 1 Comment

What Comes Next?

By: Matt Anderson

The 2022-2023 Warriors did not defend their title. In fact, there were only a handful of moments this season where that even felt like a real possibility. Starting with The Punch, the vibes of this team felt completely off all year. The team played sloppily, displayed a surprising lack of urgency, and could rarely sustain any sort of positive momentum. I spent much of the season with feelings of distrust and frustration permeating my relationship with the one team I truly love.

The question now is what do the Warriors do next? The team has a truly ludicrous payroll and is about to face extremely stiff penalties under a new collective bargaining agreement. Owner Joe Lacob has said that he is not afraid to spend money on a title contending team. He has also stated that he wants to build a franchise like the San Antonio Spurs: one that is always in the conversation of elite franchises. That is where the "two timelines" plan came from.

But, one thing we learned the hard way this season is that the "two timelines" strategy is not working. I think there was an admission of that by trading James Wiseman. Jordan Poole, Jonathan Kuminga, and Moses Moody are or can be useful players, but it remains to be seen if their usefulness will line up with the core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green's ability to play at an elite level. So, Lacob has a choice: go for more titles with the Core Three or be content to be somewhere around the playoff/play-in bubble for the foreseeable future and keep developing young talent.

This should be an easy answer: the Warriors have a literal top 10 all time player in Steph, as well as two sure-fire Hall of Famers in Klay and Dray. Those three showed this year that there is still plenty of gas left in their collective tank. Combine that with last year's title, it is proof that with the right complimentary pieces, this team can be elite. The Warriors should go all-in for as many titles as they can get in the next three to four years. So, what needs to happen with the current roster to get this team back there? Let's go player by player.

First, There are four players that are untouchable right now: Steph, Klay, Dray, and Kevon Looney. Yes, the team needs to work out a new deal for Draymond this summer. But it should be priority one. Priority two should be getting an extension inked for Klay. Hopefully, these deals will be similar to what Andrew Wiggins took last year, which was less than the max. Every dollar they can save between Klay and Dray can be useful.

Speaking of Wiggins, he and Gary Payton II are in the next tier of players on this roster. We will call that tier the "Super Important, but Not Untouchable" tier. These guys are key to the team's success for the unglamorous things they do, especially on defense. Also, the team is super important to them, as Golden State is the place where they both unlocked their best selves. Wiggins and GP2 should be Warriors for at least the remainder of their deals, but the Front Office should not immediately hang up on any call asking about them. If moving them is the cost of getting a player who puts the team as an obvious title favorite, it should at least be considered.

Next, we have the 50/50 guys. These are JP, JK, Moody and Donte DiVincenzo. DDV is in this category because it's truly 50/50 on whether he will be back next year. He has a player option for next season, so he can opt out and become a free agent. If that happens, then the only chance the Warriors would have to retain his services are if no one else wants him and he comes back on a veteran's minimum. I just don't know if he played himself into a contract worth more than $4.725 million, so we can't say what he will do.

The other three are quite a different problem. The question for them is whether the team thinks they still have value on the floor, or if the value comes from who they can be move for. Poole is the fulcrum around which this group of three pivots. He clearly has talent; he averaged over 20 points per game. And, as Steph gets older, there is wisdom in having someone like the best version of JP to lighten Steph's load. But will this franchise ever see the best version of Poole again? The man undeniably works incredibly hard at his game. I have no doubt that whatever he wants, he can achieve. It is just entirely unclear what he wants. Did The Punch sour him on this franchise? Can he continue to coexist with Draymond? Does he want to be the team's Sixth Man, or does he want to be a number one option somewhere else? Does he want to commit to being at least a C+ defender? Only Jordan knows the answers to these questions, and those answers are crucial to what the Warriors do with him.

For JK and Moody, so much depends upon Poole because if the conclusion is that the team needs to move Poole, then they would and should be considered possible pieces to put in the deal. Both have shown enough at times to possibly entice a team looking to bring in a bunch of young, talented players. And given what we have seen from Kuminga and Moses, it would be fair to them to move them where they can play if the powers that be determine there is not a consistent, night-to-night role for them.

In short, Poole, Kuminga, and Moody are the three players the Warriors need to figure out to become contenders again. If there were a team with an older star that's looking to reboot itself around younger talent, these three could serve as enticing trade pieces. The problem is that Poole and Kuminga are probably at their lowest values right now after a dismal playoffs. The catch-22, however, is that if they start next season well enough to raise their stock, the Warriors probably would neither want nor need to trade them. It is a tricky situation that I do not envy this Front Office from trying to sort out.

The next tier consists of the players who are going to be on the roster whether we like it or not. That consists of two players: Patrick Baldwin, Jr. and Ryan Rollins. PBJ is actually intriguing, as a 6'9 wing who can theoretically shoot. I know Kerr is never a fan of young players, but I could see some positive minutes from him next year. The same cannot be said of Ryan Rollins. He was a second round flier that does not appear to have panned out. Oh well.

The penultimate tier is the two-way guys: Ty Jerome and Lester Quinones. As of right now, it appears the Warriors will have at least three roster spots to fill. Depending on what happens with the 50/50 guys, I could see Jerome being the back up point guard. He's a smart player who could provide steady, mistake-free minutes for Kerr. Quinones was pretty great in the G-League this year, averaging 21.8 points on 45/35/78 shooting, 7 rebounds and nearly 5 assists. He could provide value in spot minutes if he can keep up that general efficiency.

The last groups is what I'll call the "Thank You For Your Service" group. That earnestly applies to the retiring Andre Iguodala. We could have used a healthy Iggy in the playoffs this year, or his roster spot during the regular season. It sarcastically applies to JaMychal Green and Anthony Lamb. JG was what he's always been, a great role player on paper who never actually lived up to the hype. The less we say about Anthony Lamb, the better. The Warriors can find plenty of players who can hit threes at a slightly above average clip and miss defensive assignments that have not been sued for rape.*

*As a firm believer in appeasing the basketball gods, one cannot help but wonder if the cursed feeling of this season has a little bit to do with the inexcusable choice by the Front Office to employ someone involved in such atrocious allegations.

In short, as many smarter people have already written, the Warriors have a lot of soul searching to do this offseason. And that centers almost entirely around two decisions: (1) what to do with Draymond's contract; and (2) what to do with Poole, Kuminga, and Moody. The cool thing about all of this is that we will all get to see those answers play out over the next twelve months.

Published by Matt Anderson in Blog

Tags: Andre Igaudola, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green, Joe Lacob, Jonathan Kuminga, Jordan Poole, Klay, Stephen Curry

March 9, 2023 — No Comments

The Warriors Struggle to Flip a Switch… But Which One?

By @tannergardner_ on Twitter | March 9, 2023

Tanner Gardner | @tannergardner_ on Twitter

The Warriors scored 128 points Monday night on the back of Stephen Curry’s remarkably efficient 40-point performance (61/63/100 shooting splits). The world’s greatest shooter hit 10 threes for the twenty-third time in his career. These ingredients would typically convert to a dominant win by the dubs. Not this season, as the team fell 128-137 (yes...137) to the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The Warriors are severely lacking any semblance of a consistent identity on the road – especially on the defensive end of the floor. Despite the third best defensive rating at home this season (110.0) behind only the Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers, the Dubs are 16^th in DRTG on the road. Sure, this may be in part due to Wiggins' absence and GPII’s lingering abdominal injury that has prevented him from seeing the floor in blue and gold this season, but based on the eye test, even 16^th feels generous.

With Stephen Curry’s return on Sunday vs. the Lakers, you would expect the rest of the roster to play as hard – if not harder – than they were when their superstar was out for 11 games. But, as has been the case all season, this team expects Steph to do it all. Curry tried to practically will the Warriors to a win Tuesday night, while everybody else threw up the white flag. The Thunder are a solid offensive team full of young energy, but 137 points against a supposed “contender” is far too many.

The common narrative amongst fans is that there is trouble brewing in the locker room. What’s more likely is that these issues have been present all season, but they’re just becoming more apparent now as frustration builds around the team’s inability to win on the road (7-25!). Draymond Green’s attitude after Jordan Poole waving him off vs. the Thunder wasn’t just unacceptable – it represents a leader who has given up on his team. As a fan it’s disappointing… but can you blame him?

The front office and coaching staff (particularly Steve Kerr) have been unable to agree on many of the main issues facing the team and its future, and it has become frustratingly obvious that the construction of the current Warriors roster is half-assed.

Some seem to think that the “two-timeline plan” succeeded, but that isn’t the case. The Dubs’ championship roster last year included proven players like Otto Porter Jr., Nemanja Bjelica, and GPII – all of which are not or have not been present this year. This year, young players are more plentiful on the roster. Yet, they still haven’t gotten a chance to develop (see James Wiseman) because the vets aren’t ready to throw it all away to help a younger core learn the game and play through their mistakes.

Joe Lacob wants to have his cake and eat it too. Using your number two overall draft pick on a player who has next to zero high-level competitive basketball experience rather than trading the asset for a game ready vet or two doesn’t exactly scream win now. The Big 3 are fed up with ownership’s lack of faith in their title window, and the young talent is walking on thin ice because they’re afraid to make mistakes. The onus doesn’t fall in the players here – the vets nor the young guys; it falls on the billionaire who thinks he’s above the system. There’s a reason no team has ever pulled off what Lacob is attempting.

Joe Lacob's two-timeline plan is on thin ice.

The Warriors have been able to cover up their unhappiness at home with the crowd behind them – pretending as if everything is okay. But once this team goes on the road and the opponent makes a run with fans taunting to boot, the cracks begin to show. As Steph said following Monday night’s loss to the Thunder, “emotions are all over the place.”

Everybody is expecting the Warriors to flip a switch, but there are simply too many switches to flip. Even if one switch is flipped on, there’s still six more on standby. To make the existing issues worse, the Warriors’ approach has been to chuck up 50+ threes per game, which conveys lazy basketball. To exemplify this, Jordan Poole is shooting just 33.3% from the field and 25.4% from three – on 8 attempts per game – since the all-star break. Time is running out for the Warriors to find themselves.

Watch for Stephen Curry to come out hot once again as the Dubs face off against Dillon Brooks and the Ja-less Memphis Grizzlies this afternoon at 4:30pm PST to close out the road trip. Draymond released a heated (and hilarious) response on his podcast yesterday (he’s still doing that thing?) to Brooks’ jabs, so tensions are sure to be as high as ever. Let’s see if the rest of the team can step up to the plate.

Published by Tanner Gardner | @tannergardner_ on Twitter in Blog

Tags: Draymond Green, GPII, Joe Lacob, Jordan Poole, Stephen Curry, Steve Kerr