As the regular season gets underway tonight with a prime time matchup against the Oklahoma City Thunder, many questions must be asked of each and every one of the Golden State Warriors if the team is to pursue a three-peat. More than in any other season of this soon-to-be five-year run under coach Steve Kerr, there are more unknowns that there has ever been — making this 2018-19 season a cluster of unanswered mysteries that will be unveiled over the course of the next six months.
Here is a detailed breakdown of what we can ask and expect of each player in this championship-bound roster.
The Starters:
He's been off to a blistering start this preseason, averaging 20.75 points in 20.5 minutes per game after participating in four of the team's five preseason games. Curry shot 50 percent or better from the field during the tune-up games, including an incandescent 14-of-27 from deep, showing no signs of being slowed by last season's ankle and knee injuries.
Curry is reportedly coming off his best offseason despite giving birth to his third child, getting back into gear with his longtime trainer a mere 10 days after Canon was born, getting the most uninterrupted schedule despite his busy offseason.
The long-range sniper has been solid as can be during his four preseason games, including a 30-point game at Key Arena against the Sacramento Kings, coincidentally the only win of the short slate of tune-up games.
Thompson has been adamant in pulling down more rebounds and getting more steals and blocks to finally put his name out there with the elite of NBA defenders. While he has proven his worth at the defensive end during the last four NBA Finals, Thompson is looking for recognition ahead of this 2018-19 season — something that can only bode well for a player in a contract year.
This could possibly be the last of Durant's run in the Bay Area, as rumors of his potential departure have swirled around the NBA during the past few months. Durant started the season as one of the NBA leaders in blocked shots, but tailed off during the end of the season.
He's been a consistent force on offense since touching down in Golden State, but keeping that same consistency on the defensive end could show that he can block two shots per game thanks to his length and athleticism.
The mercurial forward has shaved it pretty close when it comes to technical fouls in the last two seasons, falling one technical shy of a game suspension in 2016-17 and 2017-18. That attitude has been contagious for the likes of Durant and even longtime veteran Shaun Livingston. Green should help another firecracker in DeMarcus Cousins accountable and police each other throughout the season, as technical fouls have piled up for the Warriors more and more each season.
Green's playmaking is unquestioned, but he is at times too adamant to pass ahead and it winds up as a wild turnover and a missed opportunity. Being more selective with his passes and more conservative in fast break opportunities should prove ultimately helpful to coach Steve Kerr, who as usual will emphasize cutting down on turnovers from the get-go.
DeMarcus Cousins:
Cousins has perhaps the most to do in terms of improvement and adaptation, despite coming off his best season in the league before suffering a devastating Achilles injury.
Boogie will have to first recover fully from his injury while soaking in all the nuances from Golden State's ball-movement system and prepare his intellect while his body comes along. Once he takes the court, Cousins will have to find a way to turn his game from a high-usage player to a helpful cog on this equation, adapting to play alongside four other All-Stars capable of making plays.
The Second Unit:
Andre Iguodala:
Iguodala's body has been betraying him as of late and it's starting to show in his play. Last season was the first of Iguodala's 14-year career in which he did not average at least one steal per game, a trademark in his hawking style of defense since he first came into the league.
The Warriors' Swiss army knife posted yet another career-low in scoring with a mere six points per game, while shooting 46.3 percent in only five shots per game — the least shots he's taken per night in his career and the lowest percentage during his five-year run with the Warriors.
The decline in his 34-year-old body is inevitable, but keeping him around 25 minutes per game in the regular season should help him be able to take on the playoffs without much risk.
Shaun Livingston:
There's been a relative decline in Livingston's minutes since the 2016-17 season, playing only a hair shy of 16 per game during his last campaign. His once-unstoppable mid-range jump shot has now become quite predictable, and while there's very little smaller guards can do to stop it, other defenders have become aware of his tendencies, making him slightly less effective as a backup to Stephen Curry.
Quinn Cook:
Cook is coming off his best season after impressing during his short stint with the team — enough to warrant a two-year deal. Cook has likely taken over as the team's back-up point guard and his ability to shoot the ball will give him time as a shooting guard alongside Livingston if Kerr chooses to play them together on the floor.
The Duke product needs to remain aggressive on offense and look for his shot without letting misses affect his approach.
The Center Committee:
Damian Jones:
Steve Kerr seems to have put most of his trust in Jones' enormous 7-foot frame, hoping that his hands will come along and giving him the nod to start, despite his short-lived experience in the NBA. If he proves durable, his soft touch around the rim should prove enough to make him a viable asset on offense as a play-finisher until Cousins' impending return. So long as his defense proves strong and he can stay away from foul trouble, any points scored are just a bonus for this high-octane team.
Jordan Bell:
Bell has been arduously working for that starting center spot throughout the summer, but his propensity to jump and swat shots have gotten him in foul trouble plenty of times (including injuries) — something that has proven the major roadblock to his emergence as a starter.
The Oregon standout has been working on his mid-range jumper and the results have shown in the preseason. Even if he isn't a starter, if he can stay healthy, he should see a good amount of time on the floor backing up Jones and Green.
Kevon Looney:
Having shown his ability to be a tenacious defender, able rebounder and a team-first component, Looney has gained the trust of this coaching staff, but will continue to share minutes with Bell and Jones as part of this center-by-committee approach. So long as he remains offensively engaged and willing to take the mid-range jumper, Looney should see the court plenty, depending on the matchup Kerr sees fit.
The Newcomers:
Jacob Evans:
The rookie struggled mightily through the Summer League, failing to get his shot to fall from deep after having trouble adjusting to the longer distance of the NBA's 3-point line.
Coaches have worked with him on the arc of his shot, helping him extend and follow through with more ease after bricking plenty of line drives this summer. The first-rounder is only expected to get spot-minutes unless an injury forces the hand of opportunity.
Jonas Jerebko:
Jerebko seems mightily destined to suffer the same fate as Omri Casspi last season, as he has failed to impress in all five of the preseason games. In 74 minutes of combined play, Jerebko did not record a single block or a steal, despite hauling in three or more rebounds in each of those games.
The Swede's stone-like hands make him a non-factor as a play-finishing big, while his 3-point prowess is yet to be seen after going only 3-of-10 from deep early on.
Alfonzo McKinnie:
The pride of Green Bay was clearly the best of the Exhibit 10 training camp invites after posting two double-digit outings in limited play time. McKinnie is everything Patrick McCaw isn't — ball-savvy, tenacious on the boards, and ultimately aggressive looking for his shot.
The Warriors signed McKinnie to a two-year minimum deal, confident he could fill their needs as a versatile wing. Despite being the last player signed to the 15-man roster, McKinnie could leapfrog Evans and Jerebko for minutes if he keeps impressing during practice and his short glimpses of opportunity early on.
The Two-Ways:
Damion Lee:
The first player signed to this year's two-way spot will look to follow in the footsteps of Quinn Cook, who made the most of his chances and ultimately snared a two-year deal with the team. His development in Santa Cruz will prove important if the Warriors have a need at the guard spot like they did late last season.
Curry's brother in law showed semblances of a decent scoring guard during his time with the Atlanta Hawks, putting up five double-digit scoring efforts in his last seven games of the season, including a career-high 20 points against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Marcus Derrickson:
The last player to be signed to a two-way deal, Derrickson has the makeup of a modern NBA big — able to shoot the ball confidently from distance. Yet the undersized power forward must prove he can move his feet on defense if he ever hopes to have a permanent job in the league.
The G League should prove a nice stepping stone for his development, already possessing a rare gift with his soft shooting stroke.
The Unknowns:
Patrick McCaw:
The third-year UNLV product is involved in a mysterious saga, which has left many around the team scratching their heads. McCaw's desire to play hard-ball with the defending champions is understandable, due to shrinking opportunity — but he's damaging any shot he has to return to this team by not showing up to practice and refusing to talk to his teammates.
It wouldn't be surprising to see if he requests to be released at some point during the season, as the Warriors have been more patient than they needed to be in understanding his dilemma.
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