The Golden State Warriors have just taken a major step up as the NBA's next dynasty in the making, but the sea of impending contracts should be a vital essence they should tread carefully in hopes to keep this roster together.
A star signing for every season — last year was Curry's five-year, $201 million deal, after taking perhaps the biggest discount in recent history with a four-year, $44 million deal that yielded two NBA championships and two MVPs.
This season will be Kevin Durant, who will look for long-term security this summer, with Klay Thompson and Draymond Green awaiting their own checks in 2019 and 2020.
According to Tim Kawakami of The Athletic, the Warriors have their next superstar in mind, in young Anthony Davis, but the cost hardly justifies the means — as all of their stars are under 30 years of age and have jelled better than anyone had expected.
“Are the Warriors still targeting New Orleans center Anthony Davis? Sure. Lacob and Myers love to circle the best names possible years in advance of their potential availability, and figure out how they might be able to land the biggest fish out there.
It used to be Kevin Durant. Now the Warriors’ biggest target is Davis, and they understand that their clearest way to get him was to sacrifice several big parts of their foundation — maybe Klay Thompson and/or Draymond Green — in a trade.
But the Warriors have also just won back-to-back titles, riding the backs of Durant, Stephen Curry and, yes, Draymond and Klay. Add in Andre Iguodala, and those are the guys who have made this dynasty possible and set the culture, and they’re all irreplaceable.”
Davis might be the biggest fish in the sea — boasting a rare mix of skill, athleticism, and intangibles that can carry a franchise a long way — but this fish is one that could wind up big enough to sink the boat.
As much as Thompson and Green aren't viewed as “foundational” for the franchise, they have been the yin and the yang that this team needs to function. The always calm monk that the Warriors need to find a source of steadiness and the raging bull to spark them to big defensive plays in clutch situations.
Davis is a generational talent, and while this front office could devise a plan to snatch him in free agency, this core has made it tough to reach that far, having won titles in three of the last four years.