What Lowe thinks the Warriors need to get back into NBA title contention originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
The Warriors seem to know what they have to do for to return to the top of the NBA.
Accomplishing that task, however, was not easy.
Golden State took big swings this offseason but didn’t get All-Stars Paul George of the Los Angeles Clippers and Lauri Markkanen of the Utah Jazz.
In the mind of ESPN’s Zach Lowe, the Warriors won’t compete for an NBA title again unless they acquire a big-time player to pair with Steph Curry.
“It’s going to take a home run, a blitz,” Lowe said on “NBA Today” on Thursday. “Something like the [San Antonio] Spurs got with drafting Kawhi Leonard towards the end of Tim Duncan first because that’s what happens to great legends who stay with one team. You win a lot and while you win a lot, you draft at the bottom of the first round, so you probably don’t get any stars there.
“And then the core gets old and it’s hard to go from old to great again while the old guys are still in the league and that’s where the Warriors are.”
“It will take a home run, a blitz, something like the Spurs got with drafting Kawhi Leonard towards the end of Tim Duncan first.”@ZachLowe_NBA on how close Steph Curry and the Warriors are to championship contention 🏆 pic.twitter.com/00U2JqVCjg
– NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) September 5, 2024
In a loaded Western Conferencethe Warriors finished in 10th place last season and lost to the Sacramento Kings in the play-in game. And things won’t get any easier during the upcoming 2024-25 NBA season.
Klay Thompson is in Dallas. Curry will be 37 before the end of the season. Draymond Green turns 35 in early March.
The Warriors have added veterans Buddy Hield, Kyle Anderson and De’Anthony Melton as bench depth, but none of them are close to the type of player Lowe believes they need.
“They’re a good team,” Lowe said. “This is a good, deep team in the Western Conference. They could win a round. If things go right, they could even win two rounds, but they’re not a contender. And you know what? That can be OK. It’s fine. not a reflection of Steph It’s not necessarily a reflection of mismanagement, although they sure would like to have that James Wiseman pick back and they’ll be looking for stars, just like they’re looking for Lauri Markkanen Have picks to trade, they’re not dead yet, but it’s going to take one home run blitz to get back to the top
“And if they don’t, that’s fine. It’s a good honor to be a one-team legend on good teams for the rest of Steph’s career.”
After missing George and Markkanen, the Warriors have to hope that guards Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody, and forwards Jonathan Kuminga and Trayce Jackson-Davis all can. to make great strides in their development this season.
The Warriors’ window to acquire a “blitz” player is closing. General manager Mike Dunleavy and his office will keep trying. They know it won’t be easy.
But as Lowe makes clear, if the Warriors can’t land another big-time player, it’s not the end of the world.
Curry and Golden State have done a lot over the last decade, and all good things must come to an end.
