NBA New Season Team Preview: Warriors – The “Curry-Chase-Thompson” Trio Has Become History, Can New Signings Like Li Kairui Fill the Scoring Gap?

The NBA team preview today is about the Golden State Warriors.

Review of last season:

The Warriors finished the regular season with a record of 46 wins and 36 losses, ranking 10th in the Western Conference and entering the play-in tournament. However, they lost to the Kings in the play-in tournament and ultimately did not make it to the playoffs.

Offseason changes:

The Warriors let go of Klay Thompson, who had been with the team for 13 years, and the legendary point guard Chris Paul, who performed well last season. After failing to secure transfers such as Lauri Markkanen and Paul George during the summer, the Warriors chose to compromise rather than rush into hasty decisions. Losing Thompson and Paul alleviated the team’s salary and luxury tax burden, allowing the Warriors to finally escape the high luxury tax from previous seasons. However, this also marked the end of the “Curry-Chase-Thompson” trio that won four championships. The Warriors now face a crossroads common to teams with aging superstars: should they continue to contend or start rebuilding after the star retires?

From the current perspective, the Warriors have not fully chosen the rebuilding path. While there were no major signings during the offseason, the team made cost-effective reinforcements across all positions.

Firstly, the Warriors signed Chinese national team player Li Kairui from the Timberwolves. Li Kairui’s basketball IQ and defense are what the Warriors currently need, and he can play multiple positions on the court. Although his speed is slower, he can be considered the team’s offensive brain when Draymond Green is off the court.

In addition, the Warriors signed shooter Buddy Hield to address the scoring gap left by Thompson’s departure. Hield has struggled in recent seasons, playing only 32 games for the 76ers last season after leaving the Pacers. The team also signed De’Anthony Melton to strengthen their bench depth, and the addition of Dutch center Post is seen as an immediate frontcourt reinforcement for next season. Next season’s Warriors may be the least star-studded lineup since Durant’s departure, but this does not mean they will lack competitiveness in the West.

Outlook for the new season:

The team still relies on Curry, without question. Despite Curry’s age, he continues to perform at a high level, leading Team USA to victory in the Paris Olympics this summer, demonstrating his ability to lead the team as the core player. Additionally, young players like Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody will have more opportunities to showcase themselves following Thompson’s departure. Notably, Andrew Wiggins, who had a poor season last year due to personal issues, has returned fully focused to the team, and it remains to be seen if he can return to his championship form from 2022.

Second-year players Poole and Davis will also take on more responsibilities, especially Poole, for whom the Warriors rejected all trade offers this summer, indicating their high expectations for his development.

Predicted starting lineup:

According to Coach Kerr’s coaching style, the starting lineup will likely not be fixed immediately, and multiple combinations will be tried. The following lineups are expected:

Curry, Hield, Wiggins, Draymond, TJD

Curry, Kuminga, Wiggins, Draymond, Li Kairui

Poole, Curry, Kuminga, Draymond, TJD

Poole, Curry, Kuminga, Wiggins, Draymond (Budget Death Lineup)

Among these, Li Kairui is confirmed to play as the five-man position by Coach Kerr, while the starting positions of Wiggins, Poole, and Hield are not stable and depend on their performance.

Predicted regular season ranking:

Given the departures of George, Leonard’s injury, and Towns’ move to the East, several Western Conference teams will see a drop in competitiveness. It is expected that the Warriors will rank between 7th and 10th in the regular season and compete in the play-in tournament.