The Warriors and the Nets are two teams that will be closely watched next season as they get their superstars back from injuries.
The 2019 offseason was one of the craziest periods in the NBA. It saw superstars teaming up with one another to vie for a championship. Strong teams like the Lakers became stronger when they signed Anthony Davis. An already stacked team such as the Clippers got their Batman and Robin in Kawhi Leonard and Paul George.
In the East, the Brooklyn Nets signed Kevin Durant from free agency. Unfortunately, he was still recovering from his Achilles injury during the 2018-2019 NBA Finals against the Raptors. While there were big acquisitions during that period, there were also teams that decided to remain intact such as the Warriors.
Yes, they lost Kevin Durant, but they’ll get back a well-rested Steph Curry and Klay Thompson next year. As such, these two teams’ fate next year is interlinked. Watching them go head-to-head will be a sight to see.
Golden State Warriors will be a combination of new and old
The core of the Warriors will still be the trio of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. All three All-star players appeared in five straight NBA Finals. In other words, they know what it takes to win, and they will come back next season with a vengeance. Heading the Warriors’ roster will still be Steve Kerr who himself knows what it means to be champ.
While the core will remain as it is, the Warriors will also have to tread an unfamiliar path of managing a young bench. When it went to the NBA Finals, its roster was buoyed by veterans such as Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston, and David West.
Next season, their entire bench roster will no longer have the familiar faces it had. Instead, it will most likely be headed by Andrew Wiggins, whom the Warriors acquired from the Wolves via the D’Angelo Russell trade.
This means that the pressure on the starting trio will be heavier than it was before. Nevertheless, they are rumored to be preparing to land another big name from free agency sooner or later. The list could possibly include Joel Embiid or Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Brooklyn Nets will be a completely new team
The Brooklyn Nets was one of the fringe Playoffs teams that made it in the bubble this season. They were without key players such as Kyrie Irving, Spencer Dinwiddie, Kevin Durant, and DeAndre Jordan. Nevertheless, they were still able to compete at a relatively high level.
Next season, the Nets will get back a healthy Irving and Durant. Managing their style of play will be first-time head coach Steve Nash along with his assistant A’mare Stoudamire. Having all these faces in a team is something only other teams could dream of.
However, they still aren’t battle-tested as a team. The key to their success next season is for Steve Nash to be able to manage Irving and Durant’s personality. They already click off the court, but they still have yet to play in an official game together. As such, their chemistry on the court is still up for debate.
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