Golden State Warriors: Starting lineup locks, fringe, and potential break-ins

The Golden State Warriors are flush with candidates to fill new places in the rotation. Who are the locks, fringe, and break-ins for the starting lineup?

The Golden State Warriors were the team of the decade for the 2010s, rising from longtime mediocrity to form one of NBA history’s greatest dynasties. Stephen Curry redefined long-range shooting en route to back-to-back MVP seasons, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green were the quintessential wingmen, and the team made five straight NBA Finals appearances and won three titles.

Everything fell apart last season. Fellow MVP Kevin Durant left for the Brooklyn Nets, Thompson and Curry played a combined five games due to injury, Green went through the motions without the thrill of competition, and the team finished with the worst record in the league.

This season was poised to be a bounce-back year. Perhaps a year off from playoff basketball would rejuvenate weary minds and bodies. The extra playing time for young players could lead to the development of rotation pieces. The top draft pick was a chance few contenders got to add a blue-chip talent.

Unfortunately, their dreams of another title tore apart along with Klay Thompson’s heel, as the All-NBA wing tore his Achilles just weeks before the start of the season. Even so, the franchise did not waver from spending money, utilizing their resources to add players across the roster.

With Thompson out for the year, who will start for the Warriors as they seek to make the playoffs again in a crowded Western Conference? They drafted, traded for and signed new players; will anyone of those leap straight into the starting lineup? And most importantly to Warriors fans, will the resulting lineup be enough to contend?