The Golden State Warriors had an impressive opening of the 2023 NBA preseason as they drubbed the Los Angeles Lakers, 125-108. Even without the incredible presence of Draymond Green, the Warriors were led by Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody in this dominant victory. Moreover, the game marked the first time Chris Paul and Stephen Curry were both wearing Warriors uniforms, a pleasant sight for Dubs nation.
Curry has not played as much off the ball since the earlier juncture of his illustrious career, but adding Paul could be a massive boost to prolong his longevity as one of the top players in the NBA. Golden State head coach Steve Kerr is expected to formulate a plethora of game plans that curb the impact of playing small guards like Paul and Curry together defensively.
Coming back from Golden State's usual bunch this season are Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Kevon Looney and Gary Payton II. As their season-opening battle with the Phoenix Suns looms, here is one early preseason concern the Warriors must address if they want to reclaim the chip.
Warriors need consistent two-way bench production
After capturing the championship in 2022, several of the Warriors' instrumental role players decided to head elsewhere in free agency, which opened up large holes on Steve Kerr's second unit. The role players of Golden State had their spurts and streaks a year ago, but were never consistent in the regular and postseason. Thus, Kerr needed to rely a ton on his veterans, among the biggest reasons they lost steam in their series against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Newly-appointed general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. went to work quickly and added reliable veterans, such as Paul, Dario Saric and Cory Joseph. The Dubs also brought in Rudy Gay to compete for an open roster spot, and drafted Brandin Podziemski 19th overall to shore up their backcourt depth. Golden State team still is not as deep as its previous championship teams, but that's the hazard of going all-in with an experienced, expensive core.
Young guys like Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody are expected to take another leap in 2023-24 by being a solid two-way duo off the bench. The upside is there for both athletes as the Warriors have not traded them, but they have yet to prove it for long stretches.
The first win over the Lakers was a pleasing sign, especially with the expanded repertoire of Kuminga, but the challenge is still for them to sustain it for 82 games. Since Draymond Green could miss the first couple games of the season, their bench will be a bit more compromised, so it adds another layer of challenge for the coaching staff.
When Golden State rested Curry last season, those few minutes proved the difference in some tough losses in some of the crucial contests. That is one of the several reasons why the Dubs pursued Paul, but it remains to be seen if the Point God will flourish with the youngsters when he plays with the second unit.
Focusing on the particulars with their bench lineup, the Warriors still lack big men behind the undersized Green and Looney who can bang bodies with the likes of Nikola Jokic, Domantas Sabonis and Anthony Davis. There were talks of adding Dwight Howard or Tony Bradley, but they decided to go with Gay instead.
It seems difficult to continue relying on Looney and Green to defend the three aforementioned stars, so Golden State's second-unit big man depth will likely be a point of emphasis as the trade deadline approaches.
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