2014-2015 Review

The Warriors had a decent season, what with winning the championship and all. On a serious note, Golden State had one of the best seasons in NBA history. The Warriors went 67-15 in the regular season before winning every series in six games or fewer. Stephen Curry deservedly won the NBA MVP award, and several young players stepped up on their path to the first championship in 40 years. Now the Warriors enter 2015-16 with the target on their backs, as they set to defend their title.

New Additions

Jason Thompson

Jason Thompson suffered a whirlwind of offseason activity to end up with a pretty sweet new gig. He joins the Warriors as (presumably) the backup power forward to provide a stronger defensive presence off the bench. One interesting note about Thompson is that he has a very specific strength: he guards LaMarcus Aldridge really well. In a conference that now showcases Aldridge on the powerhouse Spurs, that skill should not be overlooked.

Kevon Looney

Looney was the Warriors’ lone pick in the 2015 draft, and might not have a huge role on this team. However, he is an asset for the future and should be able to grow in a zero pressure environment. Looney fell in the draft due to his health issues, but if he can overcome them, he could be the steal of the draft.

Key Losses

David Lee

David Lee is the only major loss to this team, and in all honesty it was best that he departed. His role was extremely diminished last season, as he didn’t fit the game plan on most nights. He did provide a spark in the NBA Finals, though, and was a loyal soldier who accepted his new role in the name of the team. However, his contract was too large and he wanted more time. His loss is a gain in disguise, for both him and the Warriors.

Biggest Strength

Guard

The guard spot is unquestionably the biggest strength for the Golden State Warriors. Between Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, these two together are virtually unstoppable. The scary thought for the rest of the league is that “The Splash Bros” are still getting better. Thompson is evolving as a defender and ball handler, and Curry’s defense took a step up this season. Off the bench, Shaun Livingston and Leandro Barbosa are more than capable to handle the offense, and both were starters on prior successful teams.

Biggest Weakness

Center

This is sort of a reach, given how strong the Warriors are from top to bottom, but the weakness at center is based on depth. Andrew Bogut is a defensive stalwart and an exceptional playmaker for his size, but he is also an injury risk. The Warriors’ season largely depends on his health, and there are no true replacements for him. Festus Ezeli is a rising young center, and Marreese Speights is an offensively focused player as well. Neither bring the defensive prowess or understanding of the game that Bogut has, and if Bogut were to go down again (a real possibility), the Warriors could be in trouble.

Bottom Line

The Warriors are well equipped to make another title run. With head coach Steve Kerr at the helm and most, if not all, of the major contributors back from last season, the only things that stand in their way are injuries, complacency, and the depth of the western conference. This team is young enough to compete for the next few seasons, and as the game adapts they seem flexible enough to adapt with it. Expect another deep playoff run, and if everything falls into place again, we could be looking at repeat champions.

Fantasy Slant 

Most Overrated: Andre Iguodala

Make no mistake: Iguodala certainly earned his NBA Finals MVP last year and was a key contributor to their title. However, in fantasy he is a known commodity with as many drawbacks as positives. He doesn’t add threes and his free throw shooting is subpar. He is a great all-around player, but those numbers don’t always show on the box score, and he is still seeing limited minutes behind Harrison Barnes. If you draft Iguodala early, you’re getting more name than value.

Most Underrated: Draymond Green

Green just signed a big deal this offseason, and looks to improve on his performance from last season. He is a defensive stopper and will get you steals and blocks, and is relied upon to be a secondary playmaker. In addition, he was dubbed (pun intended) the third “Splash Brother” due to his improved shooting. In a 9-category league, you can realistically rely on solid production for at least 5 of those every night, yet he is still viewed as just a glue guy. That perception should change this season.

Biggest Surprise: Harrison Barnes

I think Barnes breaks out in a huge way this season. Given all the attention that Curry and Thompson receive, Barnes has a lot of open looks or attacking opportunities. This season, he’ll start to take advantage of those more efficiently. His shooting is already improving, and he’s starting to understand his role as a small-ball four. With more work in this offseason, we could see a big improvement by Barnes this year.