3 ripple effects for Golden State Warriors from Stephen Curry injury
1. Is it time to look ahead to next season?
The Golden State Warriors came into this season having lost the likes of Kevin Durant, Iggy and Shaun Livingston. Additionally, the other Splash Brother, Klay Thompson, is on the shelf with a torn ACL he sustained in Game 6 of the 2019 NBA Finals.
To make matters worse, head coach Steve Kerr thinks there’s a good chance that Thompson may miss this season altogether. Now, with Stephen Curry out of the mix for the foreseeable future, the Warriors aren’t expected to be in contention for a playoff berth.
more warriors. Curry injury the worst-case scenario for Golden State. light
The one silver lining in this scenario pertains to the team’s 2020 pick that was included in the sign-and-trade deal that netted them D’Angelo Russell. If the Warriors draft pick falls between the 1-20 range — which is a distinct possibility right now — they would retain that pick and owe the Brooklyn Nets a second-round pick in 2025.
The 2020 first-round pick the Warriors sent to the Nets in the D’Angelo Russell and Kevin Durant sign-and-trade is protected 1-20. If the pick lands in that range, Golden State will send its 2025 second-round pick to Brooklyn.
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) July 8, 2019
With that tidbit in mind, is it time to consider tanking away this season? According to the owner, Joe Lacob, that isn’t an acceptable option.
"“It is against every single thing I and we stand for,” Lacob said Wednesday night, via ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne. “We will fight like hell. Develop our young guys. Learn to win. You don’t get better by trying to lose. Our entire organization is about winning. And we will win. Some bumps in the road, perhaps. But we will never accept losing.”"
While Lacob’s stance is an admirable one, it’s difficult to foresee a scenario in which the Warriors have anything to play for when Curry does return. The Dubs could be too far down in the standings to make a run at another postseason berth in a very talented Western Conference.
Next. Best player-coach duos for each NBA team's history. dark
Simply put, taking a year to develop the younger players to see who has the potential of being a long-term fit, while preparing to reload for next season may not be a bad idea.