4 Things the Warriors Must Do to Return to NBA Glory Next Year
By Max Scoli
With Golden State's dynasty effectively over following their NBA Finals loss to the Toronto Raptors, many fans within Dubs nation are left feeling uneasy regarding the future of their beloved Warriors.
What measures will this organization need to take to return to greatness with so many questions surrounding the team? Let's take a look.
4. Go After Kawhi Leonard
While it's unlikely that Kawhi Leonard will be interested in joining the Warriors, what better way to ensure a return to NBA glory than signing the player responsible for your downfall? Golden State has certainly earned its "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" reputation, so their best bet is to go chase after the reigning NBA Finals MVP...right? It's at least worth a try.
3. Re-Sign DeMarcus Cousins
We're going to give it to you straight Warriors fans: you're screwed. With KD and Klay Thompson out for the foreseeable future and bigs like Kevon Looney and Andrew Bogut set to hit free agency, Golden State's best option is to re-sign Cousins to a cheap short-term deal and hope he can return to his old All-Star form. After all, he's not going to have many suitors after this past season.
2. Make Training Staff Adjustments
One of the reasons the Warriors are in this position was due to the health of their roster, especially down the stretch. However, none was more glaring than Kevin Durant's injury. A calf issue kept him out over a month, and then when the Dubs were a game away from being eliminated from the NBA Finals barring a miracle, Durant was cleared to return for Game 5 and promptly suffered a ruptured Achilles, which was believed to be a symptom of his still-injured calf. On the surface it sure sounds like bad medical advice, so the team should be doing everything in its power to revamp the staff and avoid further controversy.
1. Re-Sign Klay Thompson
Although Thompson will be coming off a torn ACL, he's been an important part of the Warriors ever since they began their run, helping create the best shooting duo in NBA history alongside Steph Curry. Despite being out for the next several months, all the Warriors need to do is make the playoffs and there's a chance that Klay could be back for another Finals run. He's their x-factor and there's no doubt they need him moving forward.