The Golden State Warriors have a tough task this season to find relevance and make the playoffs with a flawed roster. A strange offseason saw no noteworthy new talents added to the roster beyond rookie Yaxel Lendeborg. Two members of the Warriors were named on a controversial list looking at once great players who are now “washed” entering the upcoming NBA season.
Yahoo shared the list of these ten names being the most washed:
Golden State is one of the few teams to have multiple players on this list. Green and Horford do make sense as being “washed” due to the declines for both men. The Warriors already have to deal with Stephen Curry being their best player as another aging player with injury concerns.
Another older player to create concerns is Jimmy Butler rehabbing from a torn ACL in his late 30s. Golden State must rely on an aging veteran bouncing back from one of the toughest injuries to have any real success this season. The issues all come back to the same concern of older ages and injury concerns dooming any chance of real hope.
Can Warriors Trust Draymond Green & Al Horford?
The critical list of Green and Horford being called washed are not unfair assessments. Horford can barely play heavy minutes anymore and should be considered a backup for the team’s injury prone starting center Kristaps Porzingis.
However, Golden State can still trust both veterans to play secondary roles. Green will likely start at power forward, but he’s a secondary part of the lineup tasked with helping out defensively. Last season showed that Draymond can contribute when Curry and Butler are on the court leading the offense.
Horford should not be trusted to do anything beyond hitting open threes in limited minutes and providing a veteran presence in the locker room. The rookie Lendeborg will have to play consistent minutes at the power forward position. Gui Santos is another younger talent who must step up when Green or Horford needs more time on the bench.
Warriors Must Be Active At Trade Deadline
An online list in August means nothing to an NBA team ahead of the season, but it represents a bigger issue. Head coach Steve Kerr must find a game plan that keeps the team in the playoff race.
The Warriors being good at the trade deadline would enhance the chances of trading for a talented piece to improve the roster. Anthony Davis has been rumored, but he’s yet another older player that could run into the same issue. Golden State must try to find some youth for a difference maker to enhance the future.
Trey Murphy has been linked to the Warriors in case the New Orleans Pelicans get off to a poor start and try to obtain future assets. Regardless, the current Golden State roster is too old and flawed to trust. Finding better talent at the trade deadline is the only way to fully appease Warriors fans.
Golden State Warriors Have Two Players On “Most Washed” List