This summer has been a largely disappointing one for the Golden State Warriors. Despite a clear need for roster upgrades, the Warriors missed out on every opportunity to land a suitable running mate for Stephen Curry. While several superstars were on this list, missing out on LeBron James may have been the biggest blow.
The 41-year-old was linked with the Warriors for the longest time. Given his relationship with Draymond Green and Stephen Curry, James seemed likely to sign with Golden State. Unfortunately, after the Philadelphia 76ers acquired Jaylen Brown, Golden State’s chances dipped dramatically.
For the most part, James’ reason for rejecting the Warriors appears rooted in the team’s apparent shortcomings as a title-contending squad. While this seems valid, Warriors insider Marcus Thompson revealed another concern about Stephen Curry, which may have played a bigger role. While discussing Curry’s workload next season on “The Tom Tolbert Show,” Thompson shared:
“You’ve just got to look now and say, ‘I don’t even want Steph playing 70 games next season.’ If he’s playing 70…”
Tom Tolbert interjected by asking Thompson about Stephen Curry’s lingering knee issues and whether they were a genuine concern. To this, the insider responded:
“[I’m] as worried as he is. Yeah, he seems worried about it… I think that’s one of the reasons Bron didn’t come here because he’s like, ‘How many games am I going to have to play for y’all? Like, what happens if I need two weeks off?’ Yeah, no. Ain’t no room for that.”
Although LeBron James remains impactful even at this stage in his career, it is abundantly clear that he isn’t in any position to carry a team for a large chunk of the regular season anymore. While the Warriors’ core would have been promising with James on the roster, he would have had to shoulder a massive burden to compensate for Jimmy Butler‘s absence.
In many ways, James made the best decision for himself by choosing the 76ers, effectively maximizing his chances of winning. Unfortunately, this certainly didn’t help the Warriors’ situation.
Stephen Curry’s Health Concerns Could Affect The Campaign
Although the Warriors missed out on signing LeBron James, it didn’t necessarily stop them from making moves this summer. It took some patience, but the front office eventually made three new signings, adding Brandon Williams, Georges Niang, and even Dalen Terry (Exhibit 10) to round out their roster ahead of the new campaign.
Given what Williams and Niang have to offer, the Warriors have solidified their bench depth. When also factoring in Terry’s potential as a two-way player, the Dubs may have gained another wing to stabilize their perimeter defense.
From a roster perspective, Golden State has made some solid moves to strengthen their bench depth. While this is promising, their success will depend on Stephen Curry’s individual brilliance and his availability.
Last season, Curry missed 27 games due to a knee injury (patellofemoral pain). He averaged 26.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game while shooting 46.8% from the field and 39.3% from three-point range. But considering that he appeared in only 43 games all season, Golden State has every reason to be concerned about his workload and how it could affect his health.
With two key players already sidelined with injury, the Dubs do not have the luxury to lose another. In this regard, since the Warriors reportedly view the upcoming season as a “gap year,” there may be merit in reducing Stephen Curry’s workload and allowing his knee to recover.
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