Power Ranking Warriors' Roster Based on Regular-Season Performance
The Golden State Warriors approach their final games of the 2022-23 NBA regular season with a series of twists, turns and surprises behind them.
Was it the campaign they wanted it to be? Not necessarily, but it has the chance to become exactly that once the postseason starts.
For now, let's recap the campaign by power ranking every player on the roster based on his performance this season.
Bottom Tier
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17. Lester Quiñones
A 6'5" rookie out of Memphis, Quiñones twice signed two-way contracts with the team, first in July 2022 and then in March this year. He also squeezed in a 10-day deal between them. Along the way, he made just two big league appearances that spanned a total of three minutes.
16. Ryan Rollins
A right foot injury sidelined the rookie for summer league, and another later cut his first campaign short. Before being shelved, he made a dozen appearances, though only one lasted longer than 10 minutes.
15. Patrick Baldwin Jr.
Baldwin's lack of seasoning limited his floor time, but he did enough to increase excitement for his future. The 6'9" forward shot 38.5 percent from three and netted double-digit points four times.
14. Andre Iguodala
Iguodala didn't debut until January and played just eight games before breaking his left wrist. Still, his experience is invaluable, and he looked right at home when he played alongside Golden State's veterans.
13. Gary Payton II
Payton, a member of last season's championship team, was allowed to leave in free agency, only to be brought back at the deadline. Injuries have limited him to just five outings, but his point-of-attack defense filled a necessary niche for this team.
12. Moses Moody
Moody never quite locked down the regular rotation role he's been unable to secure since arriving as the 14th pick in 2021, but he was typically decent when called upon. His best game of the campaign might have been his most recent, as he gave Golden State 26 massive minutes in its critical win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday.
11. JaMychal Green
Green looked like a hand-in-glove fit for this system, but injuries and inconsistent offense held him back a bit. He has been reliable enough to handle the minutes he's been given but not so productive that he has forced his way into more.
Middle Tier
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10. Ty Jerome
Jerome has some limitations defensively, which might explain why his two-way contract wasn't the one converted to fill Golden State's final roster spot. Still, his work on the offensive end exceeded expectations, as he managed a 48.8/38.9/92.7 slash line while dishing 3.0 assists against just 0.7 turnovers.
9. Anthony Lamb
The roster spot that didn't go to Jerome instead landed with Lamb, who filled more of a positional need with Iguodala injured and Andrew Wiggins out for personal reasons. Lamb has delivered both defensive versatility and a 36.7 percent splash rate from deep.
8. Jonathan Kuminga
Kuminga, the No. 7 pick in 2021, seems capable of handling more minutes and might be getting them had he landed almost anywhere else. The 20-year-old's willingness to execute a role—and a defense-first role at that—is commendable for a young player, and he can put up points in bunches when given the opportunity.
7. Andrew Wiggins
On the court, Wiggins exceeded this ranking with more of the same efficient offense and determined defense he's shown since joining Golden State at the 2020 trade deadline. Still, he lost a month to injury and illness and nearly two months to a personal matter, so it's hard to slot him any higher.
6. Donte DiVincenzo
DiVincenzo looked like a steal for the Dubs last summer and played like one all season. His well-rounded skill set and full-throttle motor have helped him fill a number of different needs.
Top Tier
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5. Jordan Poole
Poole is a tricky evaluation, since his defense leaves plenty to be desired and his offense isn't as efficient as you'd want from someone with his level of usage. Still, his offensive bag runs as deep as anyone not named Stephen Curry, and he looks borderline unguardable when he has it rolling.
4. Kevon Looney
Assuming Looney avoids the injury bug, he's about to play all 82 games for the second consecutive season. That feels like a fitting accomplishment for the rock-solid center.
3. Klay Thompson
Thompson may not be the player he was before losing consecutive seasons to serious leg injuries, but he moved closer to his pre-injury level. He buried a career-high 4.3 triples per game and converted those shots at a 40.7 percent clip.
2. Draymond Green
This is now five consecutive seasons without a double-digit scoring average for Green, but you won't hear the Warriors complaining. They're too busy marveling at his defensive intensity and versatility, plus his ability to orchestrate an offense as a 6'6" combo big.
1. Stephen Curry
If the Warriors had a little more success and Curry had fewer injury issues, he'd be making noise in the MVP race right now. Instead, he'll likely have to "settle" for some kind of All-NBA honors after averaging 29.6 points, 6.3 assists and 6.1 rebounds.
