Is Klay Thompson still an All-Star-caliber player? Will Draymond Green be a distraction? Here are the factors that will determine whether Golden State can repeat this year.
Here are the three biggest questions facing the Golden State Warriors.
Is Klay Thompson still an All-Star-caliber player?
The Warriors got the other Splash Brother back and won the championship. But while Klay helped, he wasn’t at peak form. That was O.K. due to the development of Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole, but with another offseason to get right, if Thompson is at his very best, Golden State may be even better.
Will Draymond Green be a distraction?
Draymond Green brought unnecessary drama to Golden State’s season by swinging at a teammate in what already was a year where his status would come into question. I don’t think anyone can question Draymond’s motivation, so a contract year wasn’t needed to see Green compete. However, considering his value to the franchise over its dynastic run, his future with the team will certainly be a conversation, maybe even on his own podcast.
Can the Warriors repeat?
They have to be the favorites heading in. With the original core three players still intact, in addition to the roster development they made in between title windows, the Warriors are poised for another run of dominance. It also helps to have Steph Curry, who has a clear claim to the title of best player in the NBA following his performance in the NBA Finals.