Golden State Warriors: They finally lost a championship…now what?

If both Durant and Thompson depart:

It’s hard to stay optimistic if both Durant and Thompson are snatched in free agency. Of course, with each injured, this will be Golden State’s reality for most of next season, even if both re-ink. The loss of this tandem will place an unbearable scoring load on Steph, dropping the Warriors far from championship favorites. Draymond Green is a nice complement for Curry, but more firepower is needed to compete for the Larry O’Brien Trophy.

Regardless of decisions from Durant and Thompson, Golden State’s first step should be re-signing DeMarcus Cousins as soon as possible. Sure, he’s had his injury concerns, but his offensive abilities would help prevent a complete Warriors collapse. Cousins showed flashes of previous greatness this past season, but didn’t quite prove himself worthy of a huge contract. Both parties could benefit from another one-year “prove it” deal in Golden State.

After retaining Cousins, the Warriors will need to act quickly, finding free agent scorers who fit the culture. As long as Steph resides in the Bay Area, a great sales pitch awaits. Yet if both Durant and Thompson are retained, the Warriors will have two monster salaries on the books while receiving no production. It’s frankly a bad position to be in, and opens the door for other Western Conference teams in 2019-20.

Despite the injuries, the Dubs will likely try to retain both Durant and Thompson. Even if one leaves, there’s great future value in retaining the other. If both depart, however, expect the Warriors to keep a stiff upper lip and quickly transition into free agency buyers. Even in its current position, Golden State will likely examine the free agent market.