What Lowe thinks the Warriors need to return to NBA title contention

What Lowe thinks the Warriors need to return to NBA title contention originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Warriors seem to know what they need to do to get back to the highest level of the NBA.

However, accomplishing that task was not easy.

Golden State did big things this offseason, but failed to acquire All-Stars Paul George from the Los Angeles Clippers and Lauri Markkanen from the Utah Jazz.

According to ESPN’s Zach Lowe, the Warriors will no longer compete for the NBA title unless they find a top player to play alongside Steph Curry.

“It’s going to take a home run, a lightning strike,” Lowe said Thursday on “NBA Today.” “Something like the (San Antonio) Spurs got when they drafted Kawhi Leonard toward the end of Tim Duncan’s heyday, because that’s what happens when you have great legends who stay with one team. You win a lot, and even though you win a lot, you’re drafting in the lower first round, so you’re probably not going to get stars there.

“And then the core gets old and it’s hard to make the transition from old to great as long as the old guys are still in the league. And that’s where the Warriors are.”

In a loaded Western Conference, the Warriors finished in 10th place last season, losing to the Sacramento Kings in the play-in tournament. And things won’t get any easier in the upcoming 2024-25 NBA season.

Klay Thompson is in Dallas. Curry will be 37 at the end of the season. Draymond Green will be 35 in early March.

The Warriors have added veteran players Buddy Hield, Kyle Anderson and De’Anthony Melton to the bench, but none of them come close to the type of player Lowe thinks they need.

“They’re a good team,” Lowe said. “This is a good, deep team in the Western Conference. They could win a round. If everything goes right, they could win two rounds, but they’re not a contender. And you know what? That can be OK. It’s not a reflection on Steph. It’s not necessarily a reflection on mismanagement, although they’d love to get that James Wiseman pick back and they’re going to be looking for stars, just like they’re looking for Paul George, they’re looking for Lauri Markkanen. They’ve got picks to trade, they’re not dead yet, but it’s going to take one home run lightning strike to get back on top.

“And if they don’t, that’s fine. It’s an honor to be a legend on a team of good teams for the rest of Steph’s career.”

With George and Markkanen missing, the Warriors will have to hope that guards Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody, and forwards Jonathan Kuminga and Trayce Jackson-Davis can all make big strides in their development this season.

The Warriors’ window to acquire a “lightning strike” player is getting smaller. General manager Mike Dunleavy and his front office keep trying. They know it won’t be easy.

But as Lowe makes clear, if the Warriors fail to sign another key player, it’s not the end of the world.

Curry and Golden State have accomplished a lot over the past decade, but all good things must come to an end.

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