When the Toronto Raptors defeated the Golden State Warriors in the 2019 NBA Finals, there was a feeling that one of the greatest dynasties in league history was meeting a bitter end. The Warriors had already lost Klay Thompson to a torn ACL in Game 6 of the Finals, and suspicions that Kevin Durant would leave the team in free agency were later confirmed when Durant signed with the Brooklyn Nets. However, Golden State has retained their championship swagger. Stephen Curry has repeatedly professed his faith in the roster heading into the 2019-20 season, and the ever-confident Draymond Green was effusive in his belief that the Warriors will be a team to be feared come playoff time.
Draymon Green to CNBC on the #Warriors – "We still have a great cast with Steph Curry leading the charge, we’re bringing D’Angelo Russell, Willie Cauley-Stein… Then obviously Klay coming back around February. No one is going to want to play us in the playoffs, that’s for sure.
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) September 12, 2019
Although Durant has moved on to greener pastures as he rehabs from a torn Achilles, he was instrumental in helping to orchestrate the sign-and-trade that sent Russell to the Warriors.
Russell is hardly the same kind of ferocious perimeter defender as Thompson, but he fits the mold of a competent combo guard that can score and shoot the three-ball at an efficient clip.
Meanwhile, Cauley-Stein was very effective as the starting center for the Sacramento Kings, averaging 11.9 points and 8.4 rebounds per game on just over 27 minutes per night last season. The Warriors have lacked a dependable frontcourt presence at the five, but Cauley-Stein could add some much-needed rebounding as well as another scoring option down low.
Green himself had a tremendous postseason, averaging 13.3 points, 10.1 rebounds, 8.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.5 blocks per game during the playoffs. He figures to play a vital role next season as the Warriors look to prove that they still belong among the elite teams in the NBA.
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