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What Do the Golden State Warriors Need Headed Into the 2023 Offseason?

Golden State’s Title Defense Falls Short

The 2022-23 season for the Golden States Warriors had its ups and downs, despite entering the playoffs with some of the best NBA title odds. The season was also marked by drama from Draymond Green punching Jordan Poole in the preseason, headlining NBA News, and Andrew Wiggins leaving the team for personal reasons in the final months.

On top of that, it felt like the on-court production had dipped for the Warriors, with Stephen Curry missing large parts of the season due to injury. Klay Thompson seemed fatigued and showed his age, while Poole did not improve his game as many expected he would. That all led to Golden State being one of the worst teams on the road for NBA picks, with an 11-30 record.

What Do the Golden State Warriors Need Headed Into the 2023 Offseason?
Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors/Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images/AFP

In the playoffs, some issues would get ironed out, mainly by Curry playing at an extraordinary level, doing enough to upset the third-seed Sacramento Kings in seven games. In the second round NBA betting was siding with the Warriors to beat the Los Angeles Lakers. However, Golden State had its run end in six games, getting blown out in the final game.

This 2023 offseason will be crucial in how the sportsbooks view the Warriors, with many questions about the organization that needs to be answered. That makes NBA predictions complicated because, at the moment, we are unsure who the team’s President of Basketball Operations and General Manager will be.

2022-23 Season Record: 44-38

Status of Coach: Steve Kerr has taken the Warriors to six NBA Finals, winning four. There is not much conversation about him being on the hot seat, having become one of the top head coaches in the league.

Positions Of Need For the Warriors

  • Rebuild Depth
  • Decide The Future Of The Core
  • Build For The Future

Possible Free Agency Plan

The most important question headed into this offseason is if Bob Myers, the Warriors‘ President of Basketball Operations and General Manager, will return, with his contract set to run out in June. While he is not the person to have drafted Curry or Thompson, pretty much every move from April 2012 onward has been his. Mayers has undoubtedly been the mastermind of this Golden State dynasty, and it seems possible he could be stepping away.

Whether he returns to the Warriors will have massive effects throughout the organization. However, it does make sense why this is when he would cut ties. Golden State’s cap space seems almost unimaginable, with only more issues on the way. To start, in 2023-24, Curry and Thompson will make a combined $90 million. Then there is Poole and Wiggins, combining for over $50 million. Finally, remember that the projected salary cap for 2023-24 is $134 million, with the Warriors already at $140 with just those four players.

On top of that, Green has a player option for $27 million but is uncertain if he will pick that up, using his podcast to express that he wants an extension. Furthermore, 2023-24 is the last year of Thompson’s deal, with him also looking for an extension. It seems almost impossible not to offer those two key players deals, given what they have done for the franchise, but also, they are about to be 34.

All this has put the Warriors in the worst possible position, now paying the price for all the success. They also need to rebuild the team’s depth, a big reason why the Warriors lost in the playoffs to the Lakers, along with the Thompsons’ shooting slump. However, there is nowhere to get the money unless Green leaves or the Warriors trade one of their massive contracts.

The future would have to be built around Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, and Patrick Baldwin Jr., all recent first-round draft picks by the Warriors. The only issue is that none of them have made an impact.

Finally, the one glimmer of hope would be the Golden State’s 2023 draft selection. The Warriors must hit on this selection, getting a role player to help them compete immediately and be a big part of the team’s depth. The option is to trade this pick for a veteran who can do all that now.

First-Round Draft Pick

Golden State has the 19th pick in the 2023 Draft.

Possible Draft Plan

Assuming that the Warriors do not trade this pick, this could be a crucial selection. It is a high enough pick that Golden State would still have a chance of getting a player that can impact the future.

The bigger question is, what player would it be? They need to space the floor while adjusting to the off-ball movement offense that the Warriors run. One option could be Leonard Miller, having found success as a big for the G-League Ignite team. He would have experience playing with tough competition in the G-League in an NBA-style system while having the body to play immediately. On top of that, he is a solid rebounder and defender, Miller has shown the ability to be a playmaker, possibly making him a fit in the Warriors’ scheme. The main question would be his shooting, but Miller is the perfect fit if that can improve.

Jordan Hawkins would be another name to keep an eye on. He showed that he was NBA-ready in UConn’s run to the National Title but did lack the ability to be a playmaker. Hawkins could be an instant copy of Poole, which might make the Warriors feel more confident in trading him to get off that contract.

Some of these players might not be available later in the draft, which could be an issue. Jett Howard and Kris Murray are names that also fit into the mold of players that the Warriors need. Role players who can hit threes, play spaced, be solid on defense, and make an immediate impact.

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