At age 37, Stephen Curry remains one of the game’s elite No. 1 shot creators and scorers. If there were doubters, Curry silenced them during the Paris Olympics.
But who is the Warriors’ No. 2 scorer?
The Warriors don’t have one. For years it was Klay Thompson, but he’s in Dallas now (and he hasn’t been that guy for a few years anyway). Draymond Green is still an elite defender and passing big man in the half-court, but he’s never been a No. 2 scoring option.
So who will fill that role? The Warriors have options, but each of those comes with questions.
Let’s look at those options.
JONATHAN KUMINGA
Kuminga is the most likely person to fill that role, he was the Warriors third-leading scorer a season ago at 16.1 points per game, (behind Curry and Thompson). However, the 22-year-old entering his fourth season needs to take a big step forward to make that a reality.
That has to start with his shooting – last season Kuminga shot 62.1% inside 10 feet, and 30.8% outside that line. More than anything, Kuminga needs to take and make more 3-pointers – he averaged just 2.2 attempts per game each of the past two seasons, and last season he knocked down just 32.1% of those shots.
In the Warriors system (even modified some to better fit his skill set), Golden State needs Kuminga to space the floor as a shooter and be more of a shot creator for others.
Kuminga also needs to stay focused – he is eligible for a contract extension until October 21, but the sides are said not to be particularly close to an agreement. If it doesn’t come together before the season starts, Kuminga will be playing for his next contract all season, and while that may be motivation he can’t let it become a distraction.
Kuminga is at the front of the line, he will have a chance to be the Warriors No. 2 option. Will he catch it?
ANDREW WIGGINS
Golden State needs Wiggins to step up whether Kuminga does or not. Dreams of the Warriors returning to being one of the top teams in the West hinge in part on Wiggins returning to his 2022 form, especially his playoff form for that season.
In 2022, Wiggins was an All-Star Starter and averaged 17.2 points per game, shooting 39.3% on 5.5 3-point attempts a game. Last season, those numbers fell to 13.2 points per game, 3.6 attempts from 3 game, and shooting 35.8% on those. Wiggins has been famously inconsistent throughout his NBA career and that has continued in Golden State – the Warriors need that to change. They need the best out of Wiggins on a nightly basis.
Wiggins will get the chance to have the ball in his hands more, but will the up-and-down 11-year veteran do anything with that opportunity?
TRADE FOR ANOTHER STAR
Golden State tried this summer to trade for Paul George and, later, Lauri Markkanen. None of those offers for a high-level secondary shot creator came particularly close.
The Warriors won’t stop trying.
If — actually, when — a significant shot creator who can play alongside Curry becomes available, especially a wing or forward, the Warriors will jump in the mix. They have enough first round draft picks and promising young players on the roster to entice teams, it just comes down to what other teams are willing to offer and what the player wants (for example, Markkanen didn’t want to leave Utah). This does not mean that the Warriors will give up everything for Zach LaVine or Brandon Ingram – two players who are available – Golden State will wait for better options.
One way or another, the Warriors will push for that second star because they told Stephen Curry they would get one and be competitive as long as he stays with the team — and he signed a contract extension this summer.
“It’s always been and still is my goal to be a Warrior for life, to stay competitive throughout that process,” Curry said at media day. “I’m very confident in the fact that being here and being a major winning team is possible. Until I prove otherwise, this is the way I’m moving forward.”
FANTASY PERSPECTIVE OF WARS
From Raphielle Johnson of NBC Sports:
Who the Warriors’ No. 2 option is is a vital question for the Warriors to answer, especially in a highly competitive Western Conference. For his struggles in various stages of the last season, Klay Thompson continued to be that guy. Now that he’s gone, a massive hole opens up for someone to fill. Given his production last season, Jonathan Kuminga should be that guy. He averaged 16.1 points per game on 52.9% shooting from the field. However, I doubt his ability to score more than around the basket. According to NBA tracking data, 64.1% of Kuminga’s field goal attempts were within 10 feet of the basket, and he shot 32.8% on catch-and-shoot 3-pointers.
So, I’ll roll the dice on Brandin Podziemski. As a rookie, he averaged 9.2 points on 45.4% shooting from the field. To say he will be Golden State’s second leading scorer is to expect a significant jump in production. However, with the Warriors wanting Podziemski to increase his 3-point attempts to 8-10 per game and a potential spot in the starting lineup, he had a great opportunity ahead of him. Similar to his season at Santa Clara, I think Podziemski is ready to take advantage and be an asset to fantasy managers this season.
From Ameer Tyrede the NBC Sports fantasy team:
Stephen Curry is brother-less now that Klay Thompson has left to join the Dallas Mavericks ahead of the 2024-25 season. The shooter has played a crucial role for the Golden State Warriors as the team’s secondary scorer for years, but now a new player must step up as the Dubs’ second option. But who should fill Thompson’s shoes?
The most striking option is Jonathan Kuminga. The fourth-year swingman stepped into a bigger role for multiple stints in 2023-24 and had no problem increasing his productivity. His averages of 16.1 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists only received a modest boost in the 46 games he started. Kuminga only started in three games without Thomson last season. He posted impressive averages of 21.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.3 assists per contest in those outings while shooting 58.7% from the field.
Kuminga was a top 100 fantasy player in his most recent campaign and surpassed the likes of Naz Reid, Mike Conley, and Jrue Holiday while narrowly trailing John Collins of the Utah Jazz. He has the potential to blossom into a much more reliable option if he can regularly match the 15.3 shots per game he took in the games he suited up without Thompson in his third season. The sample size is small, but Kuminga has all the tools to quickly climb up draft boards.
