The Golden State Warriors are coming off of a season in which the franchise's magic touch seemed diminished after the attack by Draymond Green on current Washington Wizards guard Jordan Poole. Steve Kerr and the Warriors are hoping to put the incident, and the disappointing season, behind them as they embark on a new championship quest in 2023.
For the Warriors, role players have always been as big a part of their success as superstars like Klay Thompson and Stephen Curry. One of them, Cory Joseph revealed a sobering injury update recently that has many concerned. New General Manager Mike Dunleavy didn't exactly lose any sleep over the Poole trade, as he expects the team to return back to its drama-free ways without the former Michigan star.
With the offseason sliding toward its inevitable crescendo, the Warriors decided to work out a couple of well known ex-players who have earned a place in Dubs fans' hearts, along with another former Michigan Wolverine star and a former Duke Blue Devil. According to reports, the team has workouts planned for Dion Waiters, Tony Snell, Kent Bazemore, Juan Toscano-Anderson, Harry Giles and Trey Burke, per Shams Charania of The Athletic.
All could provide a spark off the bench that was sorely lacking at times last season.
Last season Golden State finished tied for 11th in the NBA in overall team offense, even with Poole's 20.1 points per game scoring average included.
Whether the Warriors can improve on that number depends largely on the growth of their young players including Jonathan Kuminga, as well as whether Chris Paul still has much juice left in the battery at the backup point guard position.
Last season, Toscano-Anderson averaged three points and shot nearly 45% from the field for the Utah Jazz. Bazemore averaged 8.0 points on 41% shooting for the Kings.
Neither player is a star on the same level of Poole, but both seem to fit the Warriors' stated goal of enhancing team unity and returning to the Warriors' tried-and-true formula of ball movement, camaraderie, and drama-free basketball on and off the court — excepting Draymond Green, of course.
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