Getty/Tom Pennington Head coach Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors calls out a play against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center in Dallas.
Coming off four titles in the past eight seasons, it really can’t get any worse for the Golden State Warriors. Looking back over the years, there is no one singular factor that has been the sole reason the team has endured all this success.
One key factor is the existence of the Big Three: Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. They have been the foundation for the way the team has been built. Like the Spurs of the early aughts, the Warriors have duplicated their model of success as a dynasty, and in the process, change how the NBA has literally played and officiated.
Another aspect has to do with the maneuvers Bob Myers and the front office have made. Even when Kevin Durant left, Myers somehow turned that into D’Angelo Russell, which ultimately brought Andrew Wiggins to the Bay Area.
Furthermore, the front office has managed to continue to find value in late draft picks, like selecting Jordan Poole with the 28th pick in 2019 or Kevon Looney with the 30th pick in 2015. The Dubs showed patience and cultivated both players’ development to the point they are an integral part of the Warriors’ rotation today.
The Big Three Becomes the Foundational Six
In an exclusive interview with the Athletic’s Anthony Slater, head coach Steve Kerr talks about the six players on the roster that he can rely on and were the reasons the team won another title after two terrible seasons.
Along with the Big Three, Kerr included Looney, Wiggins, and Poole, and nicknamed these the ‘foundational six’.
“We have probably more continuity than anybody in the league with our core group,” Kerr said. “Add Wiggs and Jordan and the institutional knowledge they’ve gained, and we have a really strong foundation. That’s the most important thing you can have in this league.”
Wiggins is the only player in this pack that played for another team. The other five have only known the Warriors to be their home. As Kerr mentions, no other team has this many players that has played for one singular team for so long. With the culture already set up since Kerr got there, Wiggins quickly fell in line and has become an All-Star player.
“We have our main six guys back, the foundational six that we know are going to be on the court for big minutes every night,” Kerr continues. “That allows us to bring our young guys along.”
Young Players Will Be Leaned on for Consistency
The fact that the Warriors bottomed out in two of the four years they failed to make the playoffs, allowed the organization to acquire young talent that could be valuable with the key stars starting to get deeper into their 30s.
The young guys have already been perceived as the ones who will carry the torch after the Big Three passes it to them once they retire.
James Wiseman and Jonathan Kuminga were lottery picks that have helped Warrior fans see promise after the Curry era ends. Although both are still a work in progress, Kerr is confident they will figure it out and help the team sooner rather than later.
With Moses Moody, Kerr can see him contributing in a big way starting next season.
“Moses looks the part. He’s got a more advanced, well-rounded game than JK right now in terms of how it fits with the others,” Kerr tells the Athletic. “That 3-and-D position. He projects to be a part of things next year. He showed it in the playoffs against Dallas.”
If these three younger players can figure it out quickly, this Warriors team will be a tough out for the next decade or so.