The Golden State Warriors have a veteran core more than capable of carrying them to another title. But with each passing year, they will need more help from their young depth. Who is most likely to provide that this season?
There are some tradeoffs when you win three championships in four years. For example, you probably have less breakout candidates than you average NBA team. Picking at the end of the first round, trading the picks you do have to bolster your roster and paying and playing vets over youngsters are just some of the ways that dynastic success and burgeoning talent don’t mix. The talent has already burgeoned.
The Golden State Warriors have done about as well to supplement their veteran core as possible. Picking no higher than No. 30 over the last four seasons, they have added three rotation players and potentially a fourth.
One of those guys, Kevon Looney, enjoyed a breakout last year, becoming the team’s preferred center for much of the postseason and starting the final four games of the Western Conference Finals. The other three will be examined in this list, ranked based in terms of upside, opportunity and other subtleties, like being under contract.