Golden State Warriors
Key Acquisitions: F Kelly Oubre Jr., G Brad Wanamaker, F Kent Bazemore, F/C James Wiseman
Key Departures: G Klay Thomson (Injury)
The only reason the Golden State Warriors are on this list as one of the biggest losers of the offseason is because of something that was out of their control. Working out in Los Angeles with friends and personal trainers, Klay Thompson tore his right Achilles’ tendon and required season-ending surgery.
Not only will Thompson miss the entire 2020-21 season, but he was on his way back to the court after sitting out the entire 2019-20 season rehabbing from a torn left ACL he suffered in the 2019 NBA Finals against the Toronto Raptors. The void left behind by his absence from the lineup will be too great for the Warriors to overcome.
Klay Thompson will now miss back-to-back seasons and while many do not doubt Klay’s ability to bounce back and continue playing at a high-level, it is definitely concerning for Warriors fans and their front office that Thompson will not be back out on an NBA court until October 2021 at the earliest.
Last season was a lost cause for the Warriors after Thompson was deemed out for the entire year, Steph Curry suffered a broken hand that kept him out virtually the entire season and both Draymond Green and Kevon Looney were banged up and dealing with some injuries. Heading into the offseason, the Warriors were gearing up to get back to the top of the league this coming year with their core finally healthy and at full-strength before the Klay Thompson injury occurred.
The Warriors quickly scrambled for a solution and were able to acquire Kelly Oubre Jr. from the Oklahoma City Thunder in exchange for a protected first-round pick that will turn into two second-round picks in 2021 if the Warriors finish in the top 20 of the league standings. Bringing in Oubre, as well as former Warriors wing, Kent Bazemore, gives the Warriors scoring options on the wing to help replace the lost scoring Thompson would have provided.
By no means is this year a lost cause for the Warriors as management has made it clear that they are all-in on contending in the Western Conference this year and as long as everyone else stays healthy, it is safe to believe they will do so. Steph Curry is one of the best players in the NBA and with the talent that surrounds him, the Warriors may not be too bad after all.
With Klay Thompson, this team would absolutely be one of the top teams in the Western Conference, so it should be extremely interesting to watch the Golden State Warriors in action this season. Instead, it will be difficult to hand with teams like the Clippers, Lakers, and Nuggets— who will be back in full force.
