Sweetness With A Dash Of Despair
OAKLAND, CA
On a warm June day, waking up the night after the “Unbeatable” Warriors flopped in the final minutes of a winner-take-all Game 7, which led to the Cavaliers bringing the city of Cleveland their first major sports championship since 1964 when the great Jim Brown brought his Browns a championship. The 2015-16 NBA season was one led by the storylines brought by the Golden State Warriors. Fresh off of an NBA Championship, the Warriors started the season 24-0 shattering the previous record of the best start to an NBA season, a record that previously stood at 15-0. As the season progressed, the Dubs ended up with 3 NBA All-Stars, MVP Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Klay Thompson. The season concluded with the Warriors winning a record 73 games, breaking the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls previous record of 72 wins. Then the rollercoaster ride playoffs came.
In Game 1 of the first round, Steph Curry didn’t return after the first half with an apparent ankle injury. The Warriors had a 2-1 lead in the series going into Game 4, where Curry returned, and before the first half came to a close, Curry slipped on an apparent wet spot on the floor, spraining his MCL. Curry did not play for the rest of the series, a 4-1 defeat of the Houston Rockets. Next up were the young Portland Trailblazers, led by superstar point guard Damian Lillard, and fresh off of a 6 game series victory over the badly injured Los Angeles Clippers. Steph Curry was still sidelined with the MCL sprain, but the Warriors handled the first two games of the series to take a 2-0 lead. When Curry returned, the Warriors were once again up 2-1 in a Game 4. Curry was scheduled to play limited minutes off the bench, behind Shaun Livingston. But when Livingston was ejected after back to back technical fouls, Curry had to step up, and step up he did, as he scored 40 points, including a record 17 points in overtime, giving the Dubs a Game 4 victory, 132-125. Klay Thompson played out of his mind in Curry’s absence, scoring efficiently with a 58% true shooting percentage, one of the main highlights in a wild postseason. The Warriors won Game 5 125-121 and were on to the Western Conference Finals, to face Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and the Oklahoma City Thunder, who were coming off beating the juggernaut San Antonio Spurs in 6 games.
In Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals, the Dubs held a double digit lead going into the half, but the Thunder stormed all the way back to take Game 1 in the hostile Oracle arena, 108-102. After winning Game 2 by a convincing 27 points, the Warriors traveled to Oklahoma City to play two pivotal games in Chesapeake Energy Arena, nicknamed “Loud City” for its raucous and deafening environment. The Warriors were slaughtered in Games 3 and 4 putting them in an insurmountable 3-1 hole. In Game 5 the Warriors handled the Thunder’s best effort, and won, cutting the series lead to 3-2. Game 6 came and Klay Thompson played maybe the best game of his career, with his first 40 point playoff game, leading the Warriors to a Game 6 victory, 108-101 sending the series back to Oracle all tied up at 3 a piece. In Game 7, despite being down by 13 in the second quarter, the Warriors stormed back, and won, 96-88, sending them to the NBA Finals to match up against the Cavaliers for a second straight year.
In Game 1 of the Finals, Curry and Klay Thompson couldn’t get it going, but Shaun Livingston had the best game of his career, scoring 20 points and giving the Warriors a 15 point victory. In Game 2, the Splash Brothers got their groove back, and the Warriors blew out the Cavs for a second straight game giving them a 2-0 series lead, sending the Bay Area into frenzy. In Game 3, the Cavs came out with their A-Game, obliterating the Dubs by 30 to cut the lead to 2-1. But in Game 4, after a shaky first half, the Warriors stayed in it and eventually came out on top, winning the game and taking a 3-1 series lead, and with a chance to close it out in Oracle. But after the game, the NBA reviewed a play involving LeBron James and Draymond Green where James steps over a grounded Green, and out of anger towards the disrespect thrown at him, Draymond slapped LeBron in his family jewels causing the NBA to give him a flagrant 1, which put him over the limit for flagrant points, suspending him one game, which was Game 5. In Game 5, LeBron James and Kyrie Irving scored 41 points each to steal a win from the Warriors in Oracle. In Game 6, with Draymond Green back, the Dubs found themselves down 31-11 after the conclusion of the first quarter the Warriors however, kept chipping into the lead but LeBron James was officially too much to handle, scoring 41 for the second straight game. Then it all came down to Game 7, the Warriors held a 49-42 lead after the second quarter but the Cavs came to play in the second half, eventually cutting it to a one point lead heading into the fourth quarter 76-75. In the fourth, no one could score until Kyrie Irving hit a 3 pointer with Steph Curry draped all over him, to give the Cavs a 3 point lead with 53.3 seconds remaining. Two possessions in a row where no one could get free for a shot led to the season concluding, and the Cleveland Cavaliers winning the 2016 NBA Finals, being the first team to come back from a 3-1 deficit in the NBA Finals, after the Warriors didn’t score for the last 5 or so minutes. Being a season ticket holder in the crowd for Game 7, I can’t put into words how devastating the loss felt to me. Once that final buzzer sounded, the offseason started, where the Warriors have a lot of thinking to do about the team. As I am not a member of the front office, I can’t tell you what they are going to do this offseason, but I will be taking you through what I would do if I were Joe Lacob, Peter Guber, Bob Meyers and all of the front office.
Free Agency
Who To Let Go
RFA SF Harrison Barnes- Do I really need to elaborate on this? He was atrocious in this years playoffs, and despite the Warriors saying they’ll likely match any offer for Barnes, it would be downright dumb to match a max-contract offer for a player that is decent at best. Look for the Lakers or Bucks to be possible destinations for him, as Luke Walton is coaching the Lakers next year and they are in need of a small forward. The Bucks are also a possible destination because of rising star Giannis Antetokounmpo starting to play point guard and with Jabari Parker better suited to play power forward as the will likely get rid of Greg Monroe.
RFA C Festus Ezeli- As much as I love Festus they need to let him walk to LA, I’ve talked to him a few times and he’s a great guy, smart, funny, everything you want in a play (as a person), but he has a terrible basketball IQ, along side with his terrible ability to catch the ball (soft hands), and his inability to hit any shot that’s not a layup or dunk. Like I said before, the Lakers are also the best destination for Festus. During a period of 18 games that Luke Walton coached, where Andrew Bogut was injured, Ezeli played the best basketball of his life, and that could influence Walton to bring Ezeli to LA where they truly have no decent center.
Who To Keep
UFA PF/C Marresse Speights- Better known as “Mo Buckets” Speights provides fantastic scoring from a big off the bench, with his superb shooting and passing ability (he played quarterback in high school) Mo was top 3 this year in points per 48 minutes out of big men. Speights also has the ability to stretch the floor for the Warriors, forcing the big man to play him on the perimeter, which leads to guards having the ability to drive to the basket without a shot blocker inside.
RFA PG/SG Ian Clark- Although Clark doesn’t play often, he made the most of his moments this year, and Clark played amazing when given the opportunity. Much like the aforementioned Mo Buckets, Clark is immediate scoring off the bench and he is the perfect cheerleader as he is an upbeat and fun guy.
UFA C Anderson Varejao- Energy. Varejao brings energy to any team he plays for with his hustle and finishing ability. Additionally, he is not a bad defender either.
UFA SG Leandro Barbosa- Scoring, he is a fantastic scorer, and is called the “Brazilian Blur” for a reason. Even though his is getting up there in age, Barbosa can still fly up and down the court like few can. Additionally, he is a great shooter and ball handler.
UFA SG/SF Brandon Rush- He proved valuable in Harrison Barnes’ absence earlier in the year. Also he is a reliable scorer off the bench.
RFA PF/C James-Michael McAdoo- I mean, why not. There is some potential there. He also can play well in spurts.
Who They Need To Sign
C Joakim Noah- Noah is the center the Warriors truly need, and he would be a perfect fit for the team. Tough. Athletic. Hustle. Strong. Those are all qualities that the Warriors need in a center. He could also take under $10 million in order to play with the Warriors. Although his health is a factor, if you get Bismack Biyombo, we already saw what he can do in a starting role, and also, his health isn’t much worse than Andrew Boguts or Festus Ezelis.
C Bismack Biyombo or Al Jefferson- Two perfect backup centers. For Biyombo, he showed us what he can do during this years postseason when he got the opportunity to start for the Toronto Raptors, and he beasted and feasted, perfect center for the team, that is if they can afford him. For Al Jefferson, he is tough and strong just like Biyombo and Noah, good old-fashioned post-up scorer. The Warriors haven’t had a post up scorer since David Lee.
Who They Should Think About Signing
SF/PF/SG Kevin Durant- Do I need to explain? Kevin Durant is f****** amazing.
C Hassan Whiteside- I was contemplating putting this in “need to sign” or here. But Hassan Whiteside is perfect for the Warriors; he’s tough, athletic, young, passionate, and very, very talented.
PF David West- He could ditch the Spurs and do the same thing he did with them, but with the Dubs, by taking the veterans minimum to try to get a ring. He was linked to Golden State as a possible destination last summer.
PF/C Dirk Nowitzki- Although Dirk might seem like a good fit, he is very old at 38, and his best years are way behind. He did put up 18.3 points and 6.5 rebounds this season but he still has the ability to produce for the Warriors, however likely in a bench role. Also sources say that Warriors management is looking at Dirk this summer.
Players To Trade
C Andrew Bogut- This is really hard to say as I love Andrew Bogut, but that contract is just way too big. Getting over $10 million a year for someone who produces like Bogut is too much, also that would open up cap space for another free agent to join the team.
