Doubt the Golden State Warriors at your own peril. After an active offseason that revamped the roster but left their championship core intact, Kevon Looney is confident as ever the Dubs have what it takes to win another title in 2023-24.
One reason among many for the beloved big man's steadfast belief in his team? It was not even a year and-a-half ago that Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson and company proved naysayers wrong and staved off Father Time, raising the Larry O'Brien Trophy for the fourth time in eight seasons.
“I feel like we’ve been over this multiple times in the previous years. We have a great team and you should never doubt the heart of a champion,” Looney told ClutchPoints' Brett Siegel. “When you got guys like Steph, Klay, CP3, Draymond – they are all Hall of Famers for a reason. They're winners for a reason and I really believe we still have a lot left in the tank. Losing last year was not ideal, but it has helped us refocus on our main goal of keeping things going. This year is going to be special. To everyone doubting us, just be ready because we know we are still champions.”
The Warriors rebuilt their supporting cast following their failed 2022-23 title defense, effectively swapping Chris Paul for Jordan Poole then adding Dario Saric as a third big man and Corey Joseph for extra perimeter depth in free agency. While high on rookie draft picks Brandin Podziemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis, Golden State's plan is for them to be deep bench players this season, learning the NBA ropes while Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody join Gary Payton II and the Dubs' veteran offseason additions as impact rotation players.
Reminder: The Warriors' traditional starting five of Curry, Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Green and Looney was the best high-minute lineup in the league last season, per Cleaning the Glass. All Golden State really needs to re-emerge as top-tier contenders is improved bench play, sparking the connectivity and cohesion that's always been a hallmark of this franchise's best teams during the Kerr era.
Looney, clearly, is adamant the Warriors can win the title in 2023-24, and their commitment to offseason training suggests that necessary chemistry is already forming. Golden State opens training camp next Tuesday and welcomes the Los Angeles Lakers to Chase Center for its preseason opener on October 7th. It's not long until we start to find out just how well-placed Looney's optimism proves.
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