Golden State Is Struggling to Transition into a New Era
This era of Warriors basketball has been utterly dominant. But, both on and off the court, things are falling apart.
The past ten years of the league have been defined by the Golden State Warriors. You can’t tell the story of this era without talking about the Warriors’ excellence: both on and off the court. They’ve become the model franchise that everyone tries to emulate. They play a style of basketball that’s aesthetically pleasing and fun to watch. Their front office is equal parts adventurous and cunning, constantly looking for ways to improve this dynasty. You don’t win four titles in eight years by accident.
But, the Warriors as we know them may be crumbling. Both on and off the court, they’re dealing with a growing number of problems. They’re struggling to transition to a new era, one that may drastically change the longstanding makeup of this team. And the guy that made this era so successful may be on the verge of leaving.
The once well-oiled machine has slowly ground to a halt. Just one year removed from a championship, the Warriors’ future has never been murkier.
On The Court
Winning smooths everything over. Golden State is used to winning. This season, however, eerily mirrors their 2021 season, where they missed the playoffs. Golden State has been marred with problems all season long. Their entire bench unit got a youth makeover, and it hasn’t worked. Kuminga, Moody, and Wiseman simply haven’t been impactful enough.
But, even with that, the Warriors have played worse this season. I know that Curry and Wiggins have missed time with injuries, but it goes deeper than that. Sloppiness has plagued the Warriors all season long. Their fast-paced offense breeds turnovers, but there’s been more of them than ever before. Unforced turnovers on errant, lollipop passes and just losing the ball have made for exasperated faces and bad body language.
Steph Curry got ejected for throwing his mouthpiece after a stupid Jordan Poole shot. That should tell you where this team is at.
Defensively, the Warriors have also regressed. Nobody fouls more or allows more free throws than Golden State. We’re past the midway point way of the season and the reigning champs have a negative net rating and currently sit at 8th in the West. Nothing has gone to plan.
But nobody has been more disappointing than Jordan Poole. The recently extended 2019 draftee broke onto the scene last postseason, and he cashed in. This season, however, Poole has been nowhere near as effective. And that may be the biggest reason for Golden State’s shortcomings this season.
The Jordan Poole Regression
Jordan Poole looked like the future of the Warriors last season. His long-range shooting and slippery ball-handling made him the perfect sixth man for Golden State’s title run. But there were some warning signs all of last year. His performance this year isn’t all that surprising if you think about it.
From ill-advised shots early in the shot clock to dribbling the air out of the ball, Poole wasn’t a perfect player last year. His stupendous play made it easy for us to ignore his flaws. It’s safe to say that hasn’t continued into 2023.
21.2 points ~ 4.4 assists ~ 3.5 turnovers ~ 44% FG ~ 32% 3-PT ~ -2.3 BPM
Poole has struggled to find his role coming off the bench. He’s much better as a starter. Klay Thompson didn’t come back from injury until January. This season, Poole is averaging 10.9 more points per game as a starter than as a reserve.
Another reason Poole was so effective last year was his ability to fit into Golden State’s new death lineup. Remember the Poole Party lineup? Curry, Poole, Thompson, Wiggins, and Draymond playing the five? That lineup outscored opponents by 16.2 points per 100 possessions last postseason. It was unstoppable.
This season, that same lineup has just a 0.4 net rating. Compared to last year’s title run, this lineup’s offensive output has dropped by 14.8 points per 100 possessions. Putting that all on Poole would be unfair, but…he’s not helping the matter.
Out of all of the problems the Warriors have been facing this season, Poole’s regression has come out of nowhere. But, if his ill-advised shot against the Grizzlies was any indicator, he still has a lot of maturing to do. If you remember, Poole got fewer minutes as Golden State went deeper into the playoffs.
It doesn’t look like Poole has done anything to instill more trust in Steve Kerr, who probably sees Poole as a wild gun, ready to go off at any moment.
Earth to Youth Movement?
I would be lying if I said Jordan Poole was the only problem on this team. He’s the poster boy for Golden State’s sloppiness. But you know what would help this team out? Consistent play from their second unit! Currently, the only reliable guys coming off the bench are Poole (Golden State would like a moment to confirm) and Donte DiVincenzo, who has been awesome.
Two-way guys like Anthony Lamb and Ty Jerome have performed better than the Warriors’ high lottery picks. Going down the list of Golden State’s youngsters is depressing;
James Wiseman
The second overall pick in the 2020 draft is looking like a bust. Wiseman has struggled to stay on the floor. He missed all of last season with a knee injury. When he has played, the results have been far from ideal. Wiseman has struggled to fit in on either end.
This season, the Warriors get outscored by 21.7 points per 100 possessions with Wiseman on the floor. Sending him to the G-League didn’t help him, as he saw just 12.7 minutes per game. I love to give people the benefit of the doubt, but bust is the right word for Wiseman.
Strike!
Jonathan Kuminga
Kuminga has shown flashes of his two-way prowess. But he’s more or less the same player he was last year. Steve Kerr can only use him in bursts. Kuminga still lacks a consistent outside shot, and the Warriors are better defensively when he’s on the bench. Not disappointing, but he hasn’t taken the necessary jump forward. Franz Wagner being the pick right after him is not helping his stock.
Strike!
Moses Moody
Moses Moody had an impressive training camp, and many thought he’d be a big part of this team. While he has seen an increase in minutes, Moody has been unspectacular. Moody joins Wiseman as another Warriors youngster to be sent to the G-League this season.
3 Strikes, You’re Out!
Off The Court
For years, the Warriors have been masters of avoiding drama. A lot of that can be attributed to their front office genius. Led by Bob Myers, a former NBA agent and the architect of this dynasty, Golden State’s track record has been impeccable.
Golden State is on the cutting edge of using massive coaching staffs. Owner Joe Lacob has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on this team, and the results speak for themselves. Jerry Krause was right when he said, “players and coaches alone don’t win championships, organizations win championships.”
Front office drama isn’t commonplace in the NBA. And it certainly hasn’t happened in Golden State. Until now. Myers is in the final year of his contract, and, for the first time, he could be leaving.
Huh?
The Bob Myers Fiasco
Most GMs aren’t like Bob Myers. They aren’t 6’7″ former college players who spent more than a decade as an agent. Most didn’t become general managers after just one year of front-office experience. But dynasties are unconventional, and so is Myers.
Myers is the necessary connecting bridge between the players and the front office. Steph Curry is close with Myers, and the reigning finals MVP has become increasingly vocal about his win-now perspective. Myers has been the primary voice easing Curry’s concerns regarding the franchise’s direction and commitment to the present. When ground-level concerns arise from Kerr or the All-Stars on the roster, Myers is the trusted ear. Myers explains to agents why their young clients aren’t playing. If owner Joe Lacob turns the temperature up, Myers is closest to the fire and the staff’s buffer.
With that much power, why would Myers ever want to leave? It depends on how you think about it. Does Myers desire to retire or walk out in a blaze of glory? Maybe he wants to spend more time with his family and work on his newly released podcast (which is fantastic, by the way). Not the worst retirement plan in the world, if you ask me.
Not that I know the guy, but I don’t think most 47-year-olds would settle for that. Sources close to Myers have also left open the possibility he could pursue opportunities outside the sport. I don’t buy that either. If the Texans come calling, will Myers leave? To the MLS? Hockey? The dude is a basketball guy.
No. To me, the biggest sticking point is the money. It’s a tale as old as time. While it’s easy to find how much players and most coaches make, it’s a different story for GMs and front-office personnel. In an article made by the Athletic, they said the following;
According to several people with ballpark knowledge of executive salaries around the league, Myers falls somewhere in the range of either sixth, seventh or eighth on the base salary totem pole. The upper echelon of executives, league sources say, make upwards of $10 million.
Via the Athletic article posted on January 25th
Earlier this month, Lacob also told The Athletic that Myers is already “top three among general managers” in pay. The best GM of this era is (apparently) underpaid. Oh boy. While Lacob has spent a lot on this team, he doesn’t have Steve Cohen or Steve Ballmer-type money. Most owners don’t.
The Warriors lost out on key veteran free agents this summer because of Lacob’s hesitance to spend. But executive salaries don’t count toward the luxury tax. If met with a deadline, I’m sure the Warriors won’t be stupid enough to just let Myers walk.
But why let it get to this place? Just pay the man! He’s earned it, hasn’t he? If Myers were to become available, every team would go after him. They’d be stupid not to. After Bryan Colangelo’s burner Twitter accounts became public in 2018, Philly went after Myers hard.
If Myers was to become a free agent of sorts, the Athletic listed Washington, New York, and Pheonix as potential landing spots. Mat Ishbia just bought the team. If his first splash was stealing Myers from the Warriors, he’d be treated like the second coming of Christ. Steve Ballmer and the Clippers have a new stadium on the way. Who better to lead them through their current dysfunction and roster awkwardness?
Golden State’s future past this season is murky. Draymond has a player option for next season and could opt to walk. Kerr’s current contract expires next season. Klay Thompson will enter the final year of his current deal in 2024. Several key figures in the organization have strong ties to Myers, according to the Athletic.
The Warriors are entering a period of transition. Myers’ potential departure could be the first domino to fall both on and off the court. Entering this summer, luxury tax concerns and rising salary numbers are creating tough decisions. Choosing between Thompson and Green, two hall of famers who have voiced a relative unease about their future, could become a reality.
How is Myers, or anybody, supposed to relay that information to Steph Curry? Whatever comes next for this dynasty, there’s the possibility that the decisions won’t be coming from Myers.
What The Future Holds
Amid a 0.500 season in a crowded Western Conference, the Warriors could go either way. They could get hot and avoid the play-in or play do-or-die play-in games. But one thing is clear. Change is on the horizon.
Even after winning a title last year, the roster drastically changed. Owner Joe Lacob didn’t prioritize the present, which is what Steph Curry wants. The Athletic detailed Lacob’s increased presence in day-to-day operations;
He [Lacob] stuides the draft, attends workouts and crafts big boards. He played an influentional role in the franchise’s choice to use its five recent picks on upside teens instead of using some of that capital into older and reliable help to maximize the present.
The Athletic on owner Joe Lacob’s increased presence. It’s also worth mentioning that two of Lacob’s sons – Kirk and Kent – work closely alongside him. Could be another potential Atlanta situation
Lacob’s (apparent) mistakes have gotten Golden State into this mess. The Poole extension looks shaky, and non of the youngsters have made an impact. In the short term, the Warriors need reinforcements at the trade deadline. But will Myers be allowed to work his magic?
And, looking ahead, one of either Draymond Green or Klay Thompson will be leaving soon. That’s the reality of things. The Warriors will always be somewhat competitive as long as Curry continues to produce at an MVP-type level. But, the 2x MVP may have some new teammates flanking him and a new GM to relay his concerns to.
Golden State’s unquenchable desideratum for success has led them to this intersection. Now, onerous choices will be made as they try to enter a new era of this dynastic period.
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