Golden State Warriors Team Review

 

2022-23 Finish: 30-52

 

Season Highlight:

The Warriors were once a franchise that was based around one of the most active and vocal GMs going round, but Titles dwindled and the team went quiet after being ran into the ground�so the highlight for the Warriors in a losing year was the changing of the guard. Tim came in with a much more measured approach, which was needed for a team that was drastically starved of assets. Tim came in and started making some plays for the future, getting some asset base and just getting the ball rolling on what will need to be a long rebuild. The team feels in solid hands now.

 

Season Lowlight:

This team was gutted by the former GM. One of the crowning final transactions was moving a swathe of assets for Derrick Rose, which will be discussed below. Just moves that further dug the hole that had grown below them. This was the lowlight before the GM then also went AWOL because life called upon him (which for the record is perfectly fine and understandable). The team dwindled in the win column, and didn�t move, and didn�t reset and just looked plain like a lost hole as the GM point negative also accrued into the -60s�it was not a good place.

 

Best Trade:

Warriors send: DeAndre Ayton, Derrick Rose, Marvin Bagley, Thanasis Antetokounmpo and Golden State 2025 1^st Round pick

Warriors receive: Kyrie Irving, Jerami Grant and Detroit 2025 1^st Round pick

 

Ok so this one actually aged alright. I say alright, still, though. At the time this trade was pulled you wondered what the hell Titles was actually doing bringing in Kyrie who was spouting all kinds of random shit and might well be missing half the year, if playing at all, as well as expiring and Warriors picks were already looking like premium pieces. However, looking back now he landed Jerami too, who while expiring also, both ended up resigning and while Ayton was an All NSL center last year, he�s definitely hit some stagnation on the whole in his development. It�s probably not as bad now, as it felt then, and the on-trades landed multiple assets.

 

Worst Trade:

Warriors send: Will Barton, Pick 6 2023, Golden State 2027 2^nd and Minnesota 2027 2nd
Warriors receive: Derrick Rose and Pick 30 2023

This one looked really poor at the time and has aged out positively terribly. Barton and Rose probably nearly white washed in overall season value last year with Rose disappearing in the NBA, and for the privilege of paying what ended up being pick 6 and future 2nds�for pick 30�And we wonder why Portland�s asset hill is as it looks.

 

Other Notable Trades:

Warriors send: Robert Covington

Warriors receive: Derrick Favors, Vince Williams Jr and Minnesota 2027 2^nd

 

Solid return for Cov, even though Favors then also disappeared.

 

 

Warriors send: Derrick Favors

Warriors Receive: Grayson Allen and Moritz Wagner

 

But before favors disappeared, he was flipped perfectly.

 

 

Warriors send: Cash (23 GM points)

Warriors Receive: Isaiah Todd

 

Was a borderline overpay at the time for Todd who hadn�t shown much, and now he�s gone. But they�re only GM.

 

 

Warriors send: Keita Bates-Diop

Warriors Receive: Charlotte 2026 2^nd

 

Simple.

 

 

Warriors send: TPE

Warriors Receive: Wenyen Gabriel

 

Solid depth.

 

 

Warriors send: Grayson Allen and Golden State 2027 1^st

Warriors Receive: Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Oshae Brissett, Trevor Keels and Lakers 2027 1^st

 

Eeee�it�s these deals that make you feel cringe. Send the best player and the best pick (protected that way) for a whole lot of nothing.

 

 

The New GM Enters�

 

 

Warriors send: Jerami Grant

Warriors Receive: PJ Washington, Duncan Robinson and Denver 2025 1^st

 

First deal for the new GM and it�s a solid one turning an expiring Jerami into a young solid forward, a rotational but overpaid guy and a 1^st. Build assets.

 

 

 

Warriors send: Moritz Wagner

Warriors Receive: Pick 40 2023, Portland 2024 2^nd and New Orleans 2024 2^nd

 

Good value for a role player.

 

 

 

Warriors send: Kyrie Irving, Derrick Jones Jr, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Mfiondu Kabengele and Oshae Brissett

Warriors Receive: Khris Middleton, Herbert Jones, Dalano Banton, Theo Maledon and Terry Taylor

 

Kyrie leaves�with his FA rumour mill swirling. Khris was the safer choice to stick around and Herb was a great 2^nd player to get, while Kyrie was basically traded alone.

 

 

 

Warriors send: New Orleans 2024 2^nd

Warriors Receive: Pick 53 2023

 

Move forward a year, why not.

 

 

 

Warriors send: Isaiah Todd

Warriors Receive: Cash (7 GM points)

 

Todd was never in the plans, why not get something for him.

 

 

Warriors send: Portland 2024 2^nd

Warriors Receive: Pick 54 2023

 

Another move forward a year, why not.

 

 

 

Warriors send: Bruno Fernando

Warriors Receive: Pick 52 2023 and Boston 2026 2^nd

 

Lots of talk about this being poor value for a little used NBA role player, but has some 2k chops. Yet, he�s not done much other than be on the Spurs trade block for the whole offseason and seemingly no one wants him.

 

 

 

 

 

Free Agency:

The Warriors free agency was a very limited thing. They didn�t have the worst record, and with a fairly lowly rated roster they were definitely in the higher end of the scale of teams chances for signing. But, they had limited roster spots, limited GM points and couldn�t make it to the day. Their priority was to bring back Middleton as cheap as possible, and then their RFAs would all follow suit. A C and a PG were the main priorities otherwise and there were plenty of options out there to fill those holes.

Khris Middleton � UFA, Must return and should be easy return.

Herbert Jones � RFA, free return and needed player.

Dalano Banton � RFA, free return and intriguing player.

PJ Washington � RFA, free return and must bring back player.

 

Star:

Zach LaVine

LaVine has been the star in Golden State for�well�ever it seems. And, believe it or not be his the #2 overall scorer in the NSL history because he flat out is a star who puts up points season in ad season out. He starred again for the Warriors last year and was the reason they still won 30 games, behind 78 healthy games and 22 points per game. He will be sorely missed going forward but he gave his all for this franchise.

 

Flop:

The former GM

Believe it or not it�s hard to pick a flop in this team on the court as the top guys didn�t really play here long enough to get called a flop and the team as a whole actually met expectations to fit their abilities. So, the old GM was the flop in the end. Not because life doesn�t happen, Titles is welcome back someday if circumstance allows, but because the inactivity for 4 months before leaving, after some fairly strongly swayed moves beforehand really hurt this team and didn�t result in wins, either.

 

 

Draft Grades:

Pick 30 � Tristan Vukcevic

Pick 40 � Jordan Walsh

Pick 52 � Jordan Miller

Pick 53 � Jalen Wilson

Pick 54 � Drew Timme

Overall Grade: B

Tim fell in love with Vukcevic and decided he had to have him. He considered trading down a few spots, but then if you have to have a guy in the 2^nd round when anyone could go anywhere, decided it was best to stand pat and draft. Unfortunately he won�t be over this year. Walsh looks really solid and signed a 4 year deal, while Miller and Wilson both got 2 ways, so it�s a mixed bag of success before you get to Timme who is a solid guy to own Rights for even if he might never make it.

 

 

The Future:

This Warriors are all about the future. The vets like Middleton are almost a lock to be traded this year you�d imagine, and anyone else older like Robinson and Harris too, even if they aren�t hugely appealing. Get something for the older guys to help for the future. The team has a nice bag of younger chats now which fits well and they actually own picks which is a big win. They won�t do much this year, for sure, but they aren�t expected to and probably are better of not doing so well despite not owning their own pick. Rebuild is the key.

C: Bismack Biyombo / Xavier Tillman
PF: Herbert Jones / PJ Washington / Luka Samanic
SF: Khris Middleton / Isaac Okoro / Cedi Osman / Jordan Walsh
SG: Max Strus / Joe Harris / Duncan Robinson
PG: Patrick Beverley / Davion Mitchell / Dalano Banton