Youth Over Money; Golden State’s Mad Plan For A Repeat
We all expected the Warriors to shell out major cash to try and repeat as champions. Instead, they’re doing what they do best. Develop.
Winning their fourth title in eight seasons was easy. The daunting task for Golden State was trying to get the gang back together again to repeat. However, money was not on the Warriors’ side. Despite being aggressive in the past and pushing past salary “barriers,” the Warriors didn’t do that this offseason.
Instead, they’re betting on themselves. And I don’t think that’s a bad idea at all.
The Golden State Warriors Dynasty In A Nutshell
Golden State’s dynasty isn’t overly complicated. Other than Kevin Durant, what have the Warriors added in free agency? From 2015 to present day, have they actually signed/traded for any game-changing players?
Andrew Wiggins is the only guy that comes to mind. Besides him, every player that’s played a role in this dynasty has been homegrown. Hell, even Wiggins has transformed in Golden State. It’s just what they do.
So, with their backs to the wall with the salary cap, I don’t think this outcome is surprising. This is what the Warriors do. They develop their players. Rarely do they swing big trades – they cultivate. Most of their core has been drafted and carefully nurtured for years.
From Draymond Green to Jordan Poole and everyone else, this is the Warriors dynasty in a nutshell. They don’t find outside mercenaries to join them (aside from Durant). No, they find killers from within. They’re constantly supplementing themselves with young talent. That’s how they’ve stayed successful.
It’s the opposite of what the majority of the league does. No team has the patience or the coaching staff to develop as many players as the Warriors have. Their ability to transform players into more versatile and team-oriented ones is second to none.
This is the Warriors way. They’re slogan is Strength in Numbers for a reason.
Role Player Mix-and-Match
So, what did the Warriors do this offseason? Looney, Porter, and Payton, three players who got consistent minutes in the playoffs, were all free agents. That’s not to mention the potential extensions for Poole and Wiggins.
Golden State was the most expensive team last season, and owner Joe Lacob would have had to foot a $400+ million dollar bill to keep everyone. Considering he’s one of the “less wealthy owners,” that didn’t seem like plausible.
Nevertheless, the Warriors’ front office had the unenviable task of picking where to allocate their limited funds. Here’s how that went;
- Kevon Looney (3 years / $25 million)
- Donte DiVincenzo (2 years / $9.23 million)
- Lost Porter (TOR), Payton (POR), Lee (PHX), and Bjelica (Turkey)
I’m not going to lie…the Warriors lost a lot. The trio of Porter, Payton, and Bjelica played 724 postseason minutes last year. It’s going to be hard to replace that production. Bringing back Looney, the definition of consistency, was a no-brainer. But the Warriors are a lot less deep than they were last year.
Donte DiVincenzo was their lone free agent acquisition. The former NBA champ was shipped off to Sacramento after struggling with the Bucks. On paper, his shooting & defense will be a great compliment off the bench.
Still, all of Golden State’s shuffling this offseason makes way for their masterplan.
A Youth Movement Is Coming
If the Warriors didn’t have a sneaky ace up their sleeves, they wouldn’t have let some of their best role players walk. But, let’s talk about that ace up the sleeve. Youth.
Golden State’s unplanned tanking season plus a genius trade netted them their future. They’ve built up an impressive collection of young talent in the midst of still pushing for championships. Heading into 2023, all of the Warriors’ stock is going into two players.
James Wiseman and Jonathan Kuminga.
(sorry Moody and Baldwin)
Wiseman struggled immensely as a rookie and then missed all of last year. This year, they’re hoping he adds some size and rebounding down low to an even smaller Warriors team. And Kuminga? You know the story.
While he was one of the rawer prospects in the 2021 NBA Draft, Kuminga flashed brilliance at times during the regular season. His combination of size and athleticism is downright terrifying. If he becomes more polished as a ball-handler and shooter, look out.
I don’t expect much from anybody else. These two guys – Wiseman and Kuminga – are the future. If the Warriors want to repeat, I have to imagine that they’re going to rely on those two guys. It’s risky, and bold, and potentially stupid.
But, as we’ve talked about, this is Golden State’s bread and butter. They invest more into their coaching staff than anybody else. They’ve developed all of their superstars into just that. Now, they’re trying to mold two potential young studs to keep their dynasty alive.
Will It Work?
Since it’s the middle of July, it’s impossible to say if this plan will work. And no, Summer League results do not matter at all. There’s a reason I have watched exactly zero minutes of Summer League this season. It’s just not worth it.
Anyway, the Warriors lost a lot of production this offseason. Losing those veterans will hurt come April. Getting the youngins ready for the postseason is their biggest challenge. The defining measure of a player is this; Could we see them playing big minutes in the Finals?
That’s what the Warriors have 11 months to do with Kuminga and Wiseman. Heck, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Moses Moody or even rookie Patrick Baldwin outperform our expectations. The Warriors find new ways to subvert our expectations every year.
And if all goes wrong? If none of the youngsters manage to stick? Well, you see, there’s this guy. Yeah. He’s not very big or very athletic. But he runs around a lot and shoots from very far. You might’ve heard from him. He’s pretty good.
This is Golden State’s master plan. A patient, slow, twisting knife that eventually kills everyone in their wake. Money, competition, and injuries may get in their way. But one thing is for sure. In 2023, expect a whole lotta development in the Bay.
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