Why do people think the Warriors will be a top 4 seed this year? Did people forget that this isn’t the 2016 roster?

[Pennebaker]

For some reason people think they are going to be a top 4 team in the West. This isn’t the 2016 73 win roster. This is an entire different team. They had a very great bench in 2016. This current roster bench is horrible. When Steph goes to the bench there isn’t a player on this team that can hold it down until he gets back in. Draymond fell off. They don’t have a center.

I see them getting in the playoffs but think they will be a middle of the pack team. Between 5th-8th seed, possibly 4. I can’t put them ahead of the Nuggets especially after what the Nuggets did in last year playoffs, coming back from two 3-1 leads. The media says they have the best chance at beating the Lakers. I disagree. Clippers, Nuggets, and Blazers have a better chance because their teams are better overall. Can’t forget Luka.

Being in the top 4 is not even that great. They're not saying they're going to win the west. Something like 4th seems plausible considering who's on the team - an absolute legend, a world class sniper and Steph Curry.

[Rodwilliams]

Blazers?
2019 wasn't that long ago.

They were a number 3 seed in 2019 and got to the Conference Finals. Last year they started the season with injuries and the Melo experiment worked out for them. I expect them to be higher than a 8th seed this year.

Warriors swept Blazers in the playoffs with Alfonzo McKinnie starting at SF and with Jordan Bell and Jerebko getting meaningful minutes. Now add Wiggins, #2 pick, and Eric Paschall off the bench.

They also had Iguodala and Livingston, bench players that were apart of their championship core. Remember they started Iggy in that series and put him on Dame.

[Rodwilliams]

That Roster closed out Houston without Kevin Durant.....Took Toronto to game and would have likely won if Klay doesn't go down to injury in the NBA finals.

They've already added Paschall (all rookie team) and Wiggins....legit 20 point a night SF and likely Wiseman or Lamelo Ball.

Anyway...as a Warrior fan I've not looked so forward to watching them stomp the league

Wiggins is not a legit 20 point a night SF

[jason bourne]

Watch on YouTube

They could draft this guy who gave a nice interview on NBA Draft Media Day .

[SinceGatlingWasARookie]

I trust the Warriors ownership and management. The owner likes winning more than he likes saving money.

The big question mark is Steph, Klay, Dray's bodies. They are rested. They like being doubted. They are going to come out in search and destry mode like in 2016 but will they be able to maintain the intensity now that they are not exitable young me and will their older bodies allow them to do what the did in 2016.

The next question is whether they can suck Wiggins into their culture?
Then will Looney be able to stay healthy?
What will the team be able to do with the TPE, MLE and minimum salary free agents?
What do the returning young guys bring?
Can Wiseman replace JaVale?
If not Wiseman what happens to the draft pick?

I bet things will work out good enough to be a top 4 seed.
They probably will be a championship contender but not the favorite.

[jason bourne]

Watch on YouTube

LaMelo held his own, too. He's from a different background and has a big following so is a marketing magnet of the teens coming up. He supposed to have been offered his own private jet and $100 M for ten years of his endorsement of a shoe company. This kid seems to headed for being his own corporation, too. Will he have the Midas touch and be able to focus on his job in the NBA.

[Catchall]

Now that the Rockets are imploding, the Warriors should be a top-6 seed probably. They're more or less back to where they were in 2013-14 before they signed Iguodala in free agency. But lets see how they use their off-season.

[Flash Falcon X]

Still one of the best cores in the league, Yall talking like they all 37

No, but Stephen Curry will be 32/33 coming off a season where he played only four games because of a broken hand.

Klay Thompson missed an entire season with an ACL tear.

Draymond "RealGM's top 10 player" Green got exposed as an overrated role player without an all-star team to cover for him.

Add in five years of extended playoff runs into the NBA Finals and their injuries (especially given Curry's injury history), and that's a lot of hard miles and wear and tear on those bodies in a short time.

The Warriors don't have the length and depth that allowed their perimeter players to play their switching, disruptive defense (in my opinion, the most underrated part of their dynasty run).

The Warriors also don't have the element of surprise (2014-15) or the sheer overwhelming offensive talent (2016-2019) that allowed them to dominate the NBA in an almost laughable fashion. The rest of the league now shoots 40-plus 3-pointers per game and many teams have caught up or surpassed them in talent. They have no interior size and could get overwhelmed on the boards.

I also find it amazing that some of the same people who were calling Andrew Wiggins a borderline bust in Minnesota now are giving him a halo effect now he is in Golden State. He's the same player he was in Minnesota, which seems to be an odd fit with how Golden State plays.

So you’re saying Steph and Klay pretty much got a lot of rest after 5 straight Finals trips. As if that’s supposed to be a bad thing.

And you’re also saying Draymond isn’t a good 1st option. Omg that is some amazing sports analysis right there. I wonder why no one figured that out.... Draymond not being a great 1st option scorer... wow.... that’s mind blowing. Well guess what, he won’t be a 1st option anymore now that Steph and Klay are back.

Also, Warriors don’t need a 2016 supporting cast to be a Top 4 seed. Their starters barely even played 4th quarters in 2016. So now Steph, Klay and Draymond have to actually play 4 quarters instead of 3 quarters. Wow what a tough transition. At 32 years of age, I wonder how Steph will even be able to play now that he completely lost his explosive athleticism that used to allow him to dunk on defenders with ease when he was in his prime. The guy relied so much on his athleticism, what will he do without it?!!

[vxmike]

Lets see what they do with #2, the MLE, and the leagues largest TPE before we pass judgement.

I agree as-is a top 4 is unlikely but they have quite a few moves to make.

[jason bourne]

Watch on YouTube

LaMelo already playing with All-Stars and holding his own.

[Najee12]

So you’re saying Steph and Klay pretty much got a lot of rest after 5 straight Finals trips. As if that’s supposed to be a bad thing.

No, I said Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson are in their 30s now, have had traumatic injuries and played a lot of minutes since 2014-15. They didn't get rest but are coming off a year of rehab from season-ending injuries. They aren't the same players; they are older, have extended playoff runs that added miles on their odometers and are coming off serious injuries.

I'm not going to respond to the rest of your comments, because they read like biased homer comments from a bandwagon fan.

[killmongrel]

How can anyone judge where the Warriors are at before the end of the off season?

[SAKURABA216]

It all depended how they were going to: 1) trade their assets for a 3rd star, 2) use their TPE, and 3) sign a center with their MLE.

Now, it looks like no team is willing to trade them anything useful for the #2 pick + 2021 Minn FRP + Wiggins. Their front office screwed up by not trading D-Lo for this year's FRP and getting Covington back in return. Nobody wants to take on Wiggins' contract and it was a nightmare that T-Wolves ended up with the #1 pick which lowered the value of both GSW's 2020 and the 2021 Minn pick.

[Mamba Mentality]

Roster as is isn’t good enough to finish top 4 in the West. I imagine Klay will need a decent portion of the season to get his legs under him to have the team firing on all cylinders. Lakers, Clippers, Mavs, Jazz, and Blazers are all better. Now if they flip Wiggins and #2 for another all star caliber player that would certainly change things.

[SpreeChokeJob]

Don’t care. As long as they are in the playoffs, no one will look forward to facing them.

[BostonCouchGM]

You DO realize they have Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green, Eric Pashcall and the #2 pick in the draft...right?

[AussieCeltic]

Quote me on this OP. They’ll be top 4 in the West this year.

[hoosierdaddy34]

You think back to 2018, everyone gets hurt and the Warriors lose to the Raptors. And even though KD leaves, there is just just this feeling that the Warriors will get healthy and the team will have a season to collect assets to rebuild and they would be right back on top. And here we are...2020...the Warriors are staring at one of the epic arms races between teams in league history. The Lakers, the Clippers, the Bucks, the Nets...you got Dallas and Boston...Portland and PHX making moves to join the party. And Golden St probably isn’t a top 3 favorite and maybe not even in the top 5 depending how the rest of this offseason goes. This league moves fast man, things change so quickly.

[Rainwater]

Bro you high.

Pretty certain you are high off 2016, lol. The guy made good points.

[Rainwater]

You DO realize they have Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green, Eric Pashcall and the #2 pick in the draft...right?

Klay just came of an ACL tear and will need time to adjust. Lol at Andrew Wiggins. Draymond is not the same player. Who is Eric Pashcall? And you really think a rookie in a weak class will get much playing time on a team seeking a championship? There was a reason that LBJ asked to trade Wiggins. Rookies need time to develop.