Exposing Warriors' Biggest Concerns and Weaknesses to Open 2023-24 NBA Season
The Golden State Warriors are nearly a quarter of the way through their 2023-24 NBA season, and very little has gone according to plan so far.
Stephen Curry remains one of the Association's best offensive weapons, Dario Šarić has predictably fit right in and Moses Moody has quietly engineered a modest breakout, but that might be it for positives.
As for the negatives, well, there are frankly too mention to mention here, but we'll spotlight three of the biggest issues facing this squad.
Klay Thompson Is off to a Terrible Start
1 of 3
The Warriors have effectively been without a No. 2 option this season, as their non-Stephen Curry scoring has been nearly non-existent.
That doesn't fall squarely on the shoulders of Klay Thompson, but he's the likeliest candidate to handle that role. He was the Warriors' second-best scorer the past two seasons, and he's technically still in that spot, albeit with a paltry 15.3-points-per-game average that's the worst since his rookie season.
He's also No. 2 on the team in shot attempts (13.1) despite sitting just ninth among the rotation regulars in true shooting percentage (54.2, per Basketball-Reference). His track record makes you want to believe he'll snap out of this, but he just hasn't looked like himself. To that end, ESPN's Kendra Andrews reported Thompson's "contract negotiations are weighing on him."
This is a contract year for Thompson, and it could not be going worse. His defense hasn't been the same since losing back-to-back seasons to injuries (first a torn ACL, then a ruptured Achilles), and now his offense could be declining, too. If he can't snap out of this, Golden State has to rethink his place in the offensive pecking order.
Andrew Wiggins' Disappearing Act
2 of 3
When the Warriors won it all in 2021-22, Andrew Wiggins was a two-way wrecking ball. He was flying around the court, smothering the opposition on defense, piling up points and snatching down rebounds.
This version of Wiggins doesn't even remotely resemble that one.
He oftentimes looks lethargic, a criticism that was often tied to him during his Minnesota Timberwolves days. His offense has evaporated (12.8 points on 43.3/26.7/59.3 shooting), and you almost never feel the impact of his athleticism. A player with his length and bounce shouldn't be pulling down just 4.4 rebounds per night, and he certainly shouldn't be shooting a career-worst 60.5 percent inside of three feet.
Wiggins' "lack of physical conditioning annoyed some within the organization," per Andrews, so it's possible he's still getting his legs under him, but how much longer does he need? And how much longer can the Warriors wait? He's supposed to be a difference-maker on both ends, but the only differences he's making are the ones that don't help.
They Keep Hurting Themselves with Turnovers and Fouls
3 of 3
Even when the Warriors were at their best, they'd still sometimes be their own worst enemy. Turnovers and foul trouble were always obstacles, you just didn't always notice them as the Dubs inevitably came roaring back from whatever deficit they'd created.
But gone are the days when Golden State could snap its finger and surge past an opponent at any time. The Dubs don't have the same superpowers, meaning their margin for error is smaller and no longer allows for so many mistakes.
Turnovers are slightly less of a problem this season with Chris Paul, though they remain an ever-present thorn in this team's side. They remain an underwhelming 23rd in turnover percentage, per NBA.com. They've been even more generous in allowing free throws, as only two teams have averaged more free throws against than Golden State's 20.7.
"Fouling and turnovers, I can only say it so many times," Steve Kerr told reporters. "Those two things have to improve."
The Warriors, who've lost eight of their last 10, have time to turn things around, but they need to play with more urgency and a lot more discipline.
