The Golden State Warriors are having a miserable off-season so far. They were frontrunners to acquire Paul George but that deal has fallen to the wayside after he signed with Philadelphia. The Warriors have also waived Point God Chris Paul, while communication with marksman Klay Thompson continues to break down.
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Appearing on NBC Sports, NBA Insider Bonta Hill recently delved into the situation that the San Fransico side is facing. He began by addressing the impact of Thompson’s departure on Curry. He pointed out that Steph’s spacing will be completely off with Thompson gone. The veteran journalist said,
“With Klay Thompson possibly leaving the Golden State Warriors, I get worried about Stephen Curry because…he is going to see multiple double screens, length and where is that spacing going to come from when you take away one of the best shooters of this league.”
If Klay Thompson indeed doesn't return to the Warriors, @BontaHill explains how Steph Curry could be negatively impacted
Watch the full NBA Free Agency Special here: https://t.co/39uoWKaWIM pic.twitter.com/OK11pKzifx
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) July 1, 2024
Losing Thompson could literally tear apart the Warriors ‘ decade-long system. The San Fran ball club focuses heavily on shooting threes and passing the ball. With Klay gone, and no other top shot-maker on the squad, Curry will attract too much attention.
In fact, they will look similar to their 2020-21 squad as Curry proved insufficient in winning games in Thompson’s absence during that stretch.
And he is not the only important piece the Warriors are losing out on. Recent reports have confirmed that Chris Paul will also be departing from the team to play alongside 2024, Rookie of the Year, Victor Wembanyama. In Hill’s eyes, the young players on the Warriors will be the ones who will end up facing the brunt of pressure from their botched off-season, further commenting,
“It’s going to be tough for the Warriors to replace here and it puts a lot more pressure on these youngsters that the Warriors have invested in.”
Moving forward, the likes of Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski, and Trayce Jackson Jr. will have to step up big time if the Warriors fail to capture any big names in the off-season. With Curry closing in on his 37th birthday, the window for the Warriors to win a final chip with the Dubs’s greatest player might be coming to a close. A sad ending to one of the greatest teams in NBA history.
