The Warriors’ dream season came to a stunning conclusion on Sunday as they watched the Cavaliers celebrate their first NBA title at Oracle Arena. The team that set a league record with 73 regular-season victories also became the first team to blow a 3-1 lead in the NBA Finals.
The good news is that their three best players are under contract for next season. Regular season MVP Stephen Curry will enter the final year of his team-friendly deal that will pay him $12.1MM next season. Draymond Green and Klay Thompson have at least three years left on their contracts.
Sixth man Andre Iguodala and Andrew Bogut have one year left on their contracts and they can retain backup point Shaun Livingston, who had some big postseason games, who has a partially-guaranteed contract.
The remainder of the roster is in a state of flux. Harrison Barnes becomes a restricted free agent and several other rotation pieces will also enter the free-agent market.
Golden State will still come into next season as the team to beat in the Western Conference, especially if they add a top-tier free agent. While the odds are against Kevin Durant signing with them, the Warriors could be the kings of the West for years to come if they’re able to pull off that feat.
More likely, they’ll try to add to their depth and find a suitable replacement for Barnes if they deem him too expensive for their long-term budget.
Making the Finals three consecutive years is no easy feat and the Warriors will have plenty of hungry competitors nipping at their heels. The Spurs aren’t declining any time soon, even if Tim Duncan decides to retire. The Thunder were just one win away from knocking the Warriors off their perch and will remain a powerhouse if Durant re-signs. With better health, the star-laden Clippers could finally reach their potential.
This leads us to our question of the day: Do you think the Warriors will reach the Finals again next season? If not, who will take their place?
Please take to the comments section below to share your thoughts and opinions on the subject. We look forward to what you have to say.
No, OKC is my favorite to win if they can retain KD. If the Warriors get KD ,however, we’re looking at a dynasty, and 82-0 becomes more possible lol. The Spurs will remain a threat , but I only see them as a 3rd place team. Clippers have no chance to me; 4th place every year. That Big 3 need to split up. I’d like to see Chris Paul with the Spurs perhaps. Cp3, Kawhi & Aldridge will be a deadly combo, and he’ll be under greg so he’ll fit in perfectly.
Curry and Iggy have contract years coming off injury and something to prove, so i would never count the Dubs out. Losing Barnes would hurt though.
There are too many IFS to truly answer this. I think they would keep the same team they have honestly. If they are going to make changes I would go get Durant, you’d have to lose too many players to make that happen. Could be bad for their chemistry. Only change they could make that would help is at Center. Some decent Centers out there that would fit in their system and would cost less then Durant. But then again I would rather see them keep the same team. They might not make it back next year but they’ll be one of the top 2-3 teams easily to be in the Finals again for sure. I think if Duncan Retires and Spurs sign Durant they will be the favorite easily in my opinion. I also don’t see the Clippers making that leap unless they do something drastic, maybe a sign and trade with OKC for Griffin and Durant. Durant could help them get over that hump I think. Next off season will be the most interesting with Westbrook and I believe CP3 and Griffin are free agents also but I could be wrong. I do know next year there are more star free agents then this year. I hope the Lakers don’t make some stupid signings this off season, I’d say they need to get a center and some bench players along with their draft pick also bring back Clarkson and next off season go for it with trying to sign Westbrook or whoever.
Warriors will be right there waiting for the Cavs, if they can make it. Still shocked Cavs won somehow. Warriors gotta be the overwhelming favorites next season.
If,the Cavs have no competition, the Warriors on the other hand aren’t guaranteed anything, OKC
I see the thunder (with durant and maybe a better SG) and clippers (if they can find a suitable SF) as potentially better playoff teams. I do think GSW was the ultimate “system team” this year- no team is that statistically great without schematic advantages, and those advantages were well-countered in the playoffs. Once Durant or James began guarding Green, it really neutralized the effectiveness of the Curry-Green pick and roll. Count on that being sustainable- guarding draymond with a wing rather than a PF is a much better option. With another year of free agency for the league to prioritize these versatile wing players like GSW has, their advantage will decrease. It struck me in the finals how much better GSW would have been with Chris Paul rather than Curry. Having a defensively weak point guard who can’t get his teammates involved when defenses lock down will always make you vulnerable in the playoffs. I like Curry, but really have a feeling that he’s peaked already. He won’t see the favorable conditions of this year ever again.
Roberson is a fine SG. Obviously a better shooter with a just as good defensive game would be the dream, but I don’t think they have the cap space/assets they’d be willing to trade for that type of player. They’re better off keeping Roberson…he looked pretty good in the playoffs. You know he’s going to be a good physical defender and can grab rebounds, he just has to work on his shot. I wouldn’t be surprised if Roberson has something of a coming out type of season. Not expecting him to drop 15 plus a game, but 10 ppg while being a respectable threat from outside would be his coming out.
Some dumb GM will max out Barnes. Just hope its not the Sixers.
Agree someone will and why not the Sixers? Plenty of desperate teams in the East.
OkC will win west next year
Too early to answer this question unless we want to dumb down the Hoops Rumors comments into an ESPN-like series of baseless speculations and tangential rants.
I think the Warriors will have a chip on their shoulders (again) to get back and prove it again. Right now, the Warriors need to get their roster healthy for next year and to find bench players who better fit their style of play. I realized how not having someone like David Lee at center coming off the bench really hurt us this year.
David Lee was not the missing piece to their hopes of winning a ring. They did perfectly fine during the regular season and they really did miss Bogut at the end of the finals. Not many big men out there provide that type of defensive presence while also being a decent passer and not a turnover machine.