Warriors Bold Predictions Ahead of 2021-22 NBA Season
The Golden State Warriors are back.
Or, at least, in a best-case scenario they can be.
Stephen Curry and Draymond Green were re-united with super-sub Andre Iguodala this offseason, and they'll be joined by Klay Thompson at some point during the season. That's been a championship quartet in the past, and even though all four players are into their 30s now, it might become one again.
With optimism back in the Bay Area, let's break out the crystal ball to find three bold predictions for the 2021-22 NBA season.
Warriors Have an All-Rookie First-Teamer
1 of 3
Armed with a pair of lottery picks and major win-now intentions, the Warriors could have traded one or both of those selections. Instead, they kept each one and spent them on Jonathan Kuminga (No. 7) and Moses Moody (No. 14).
That means one of two things. Either the Warriors couldn't find what they were looking for on the trade market, or they see enough in these prospects to not deem a deal necessary. It might even be a little of Column A and a little of Column B.
Either way, the Warriors now have a couple of blue-chip teenagers who could walk into prominent roles on opening night. They have openings in the rotation for both players, and either one has the game to claim his spot.
Kuminga has absurd athleticism for a 6'8", 240-pounder, and he'll benefit by making simple plays (catch ball, dunk ball) off deliveries from Curry and Green. Moody pairs a lethal long-range stroke with the ability to play multiple positions. If either one proves a quick study, it's not out of the question for him to approach 30 minutes per night. Tack on the Golden State spotlight, and that's the formula for an All-Rookie first-team selection.
Andre Iguodala Earns Sixth Man of the Year Votes
2 of 3
Iguodala's return is more than a feel-good story. And as valuable as his voice will be back in that locker room, he's more than a vocal leader.
He knows coach Steve Kerr's system inside and out, and Iguodala's ability to consistently execute the game plan could push him back into that same sixth man role he held the final five seasons of his six-year tenure with the team.
"Having Andre takes a lot of pressure off Steph and Draymond and Klay on the leadership side of things," Kerr told reporters. "But it also adds one of the key people who understand how we operate and how to make things work on the court, with our unique style and unique roster."
Iguodala won't wow with scoring, but he can impress Sixth Man of the Year voters with his unique blend of smarts, skill and veteran savvy. If he's a shut-down stopper who handles primary distributing duties for the second team and closes contests for the Warriors, he'll get some best-bench-player-in-the-business votes sent his direction.
Stephen Curry Wins MVP
3 of 3
On the boldness scale of #Meh to #OMG, predicting a third MVP for Curry probably lands somewhere near the shrug emoji.
That's fine. The best predictions aren't the boldest, they're the ones that come true.
Not to mention, it's pretty ridiculous that a 33-year-old who suited up all of five times just two seasons ago would be such an obvious MVP candidate. Then again, anyone who watched a second of last season can see why. Chef Curry cooked one of his best delicacies to date, pouring in a career-high (and league-leading) 32 points per game while posting the third-highest true shooting percentage of his career (65.5).
The Warriors weren't good enough for him to win the award last season—he took bronze—but the higher end of their projections puts them in the West's top tier. We're glass-full kind of thinkers, so we'll say the Dubs snag a top-three seed and Curry is crowned MVP for his and their efforts.
.jpg?w=600 "Colts Release Kenny Moore")
