Inside Mike Dunleavy Jr.’s second season and the Warriors’ chase for the next big fish

Golden State has hit the ground running with a 13-2 record to start the year.

Golden State Warriors have been in a bit of a hole since the departure of Kevin Durant after the 2019 NBA Finals. Though they still had Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green, a trio that took them to three NBA championships in four years, they were not able to excel after Durant left the team.

After a dismal end to the 2019-2020 season, the team was able to pull off a shocking upset in the play-in tournament in the 2021 season and made a run all the way to the NBA Finals, where they lost to the Toronto Raptors after Durant got injured in game 5 of the NBA Finals.

Coming into this season, there were questions about whether or not Curry, Green, and Thompson were past their prime and unable to keep up with the young guns in the league.

Thompson has not missed a beat since coming back from his torn Achilles.

Green has been an anchor on defense, leading the league in steals per game and defensive win shares. Thompson is also averaging over 20 points per game. Curry, who is now 33 years old, is still playing at an MVP level and is averaging over 28 points per game.

But if the Warriors are going to make another run at the NBA championship, they are going to need more than just their three stars.

They have a number of young players who have shown promise, but they need to step up and become consistent contributors. James Wiseman, the second overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft, has shown flashes of his potential, but he has also been inconsistent. Jordan Poole, who signed a four-year, $140 million contract extension with the team this offseason, has also shown promise, but he needs to be more consistent.

The Warriors will be looking to add another star player to their roster in the offseason.

The Warriors have been linked to a number of players in trade rumors, including Bradley Beal, Donovan Mitchell, and Karl-Anthony Towns. They could also look to sign a free agent, such as Deandre Ayton or Zach LaVine.

Adding another star player would give the Warriors a much-needed boost and help them compete for another NBA championship. However, it remains to be seen whether or not they will be able to make a deal.