The Golden State Warriors continued to build on their dynasty last season when they won the 2022 NBA Finals. So far to start the 2022-23 season, though, the Warriors haven't looked anything like the team that just won a championship only a few months ago. They currently sport a 5-7 record, and without Stephen Curry's recent scoring outbursts, their record would likely be even worse.

The Warriors saw some turnover this offseason with their current roster, but kept many of the key players from their recent title team in hopes of running it back this season. Yet through 12 games, there's an increasing sense of worry that Golden State simply may not be able to replicate their championship run from last season this year.

There are a lot of reasons why the Warriors haven't looked great to start the season, but it's clear that three players have played a bigger role in their struggles than others to start the season. Let's take a look at who those three players are and see why they have been particularly damaging for the Warriors early on this season.

3. Jordan Poole

Jordan Poole's breakout campaign for the Warriors last season is a big reason why they ended up winning a championship. Poole seamlessly filled in for Klay Thompson as he missed the first half of the season, and his ability to create shots for himself helped open things up for Curry and the rest of the Warriors offense.

Poole has still been scoring to start the season, but his efficiency has taken a bit of a step back in the early going. Poole's numbers through 12 games (15.4 PPG, 4.8 APG, 1.7 RPG, 41.1 FG%, 32.1 3P%) aren't bad, but this is nowhere close to the level he was producing at last season. With Thompson also struggling (more on that in a second) Poole is going to have to play better if the Warriors want to turn things around.

Poole also hasn't made the same defensive impact for the Warriors so far this season (although no one really has) and is turning the ball over at a much higher rate in the early going. Golden State gave Poole a big money extension this offseason, and so far he hasn't proven that he is worth it. That will have to change if the Warriors intend on winning this season.

2. James Wiseman

There was hope that James Wiseman could return and play a big role in the Warriors offense after missing the entire 2021-22 season. But he has looked completely lost to start the season, and calls for him to get traded have only increased as he has struggled in his limited action with the team.

Wiseman has struggled to fully insert himself into the Warriors rotation in the early going, as he's only averaging 13.8 minutes per contest at this point. His numbers aren't horrible considering his limited role (7.3 PPG, 4 RPG, 0.9 APG, 60.4 FG%) but if you have watched the Warriors play, it's not hard to see why he isn't getting more minutes.

Wiseman regularly looks uninterested when he's on the court, and it makes things much more difficult for the rest of his teammates. The investment in Wiseman hasn't paid off so far, and if he can't earn his way back into the team's rotation, it would make sense to consider trying to find him a new home at some point in the future.

1. Klay Thompson

The biggest reason for the Warriors struggles has been Klay Thompson. Thompson didn't necessarily look like himself when he returned from his two and a half year layoff last season, but he was good enough to play a supporting role in Golden State's title run. But this season, Thompson looks to be close to playing himself off the court.

Thompson's numbers through ten games are down across the board (14.5 PPG, 3 RPG, 2.4 APG, 34.9 FG%, 32.3 3P%). The most concerning regression has been his shooting splits, as that's what made Thompson so impactful earlier in his career. Thompson is OK in other areas of the game, but when he's not hitting his shots, it's tough to justify his presence on the court.

The quickest way for the Warriors to change their fortunes would be if Thompson can begin hitting his shots. There's a chance he's begun to regress, as he's already 32 years old and is coming off a very lengthy absence. Maybe he's shaking off some rust, but it feels like Thompson's struggles are deeper than that. Thompson likely isn't the same player he once was, and the Warriors may need to accept this and try to find some different solutions to his struggles if they want to improve.