The Warriors were in the midst of a rocky stretch in the NBA season when a rookie Stephen Curry tweeted out an augury of hope to the fanbase. It was Nov. 11, 2009, and the team had gotten off to a sluggish 2-5 start. The Warriors were in desperate need of a saving grace to reroute the trajectory of their organization.
What they didn’t know was that they had just drafted that saving grace four months prior. The tide didn’t shift immediately, but a new wave of Warriors basketball would slowly begin taking place.
What seemed like a late-night burst of optimism morphed into a decade-plus quest for the franchise’s cornerstone to fulfill that prophecy.
Exactly 16 years to the date since that tweet was published, the Warriors found themselves in a similar situation.
Similar Situations
The organization’s reputation and winning history may be drastically different from what they were back then, but the Warriors are searching for answers again.
After suffering what Jimmy Butler called a “humbling” defeat against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the team needed to take a hard look in the mirror.
Even though it was early in the season, that loss put them at 6-6 overall and 1-6 on the road. Big picture questions re-emerged about the organization’s future moving forward.
Did the Warriors’ title window close? Do the veterans have enough left in the tank to lead a winning team? Are the young guys really brought into the system?
As uncomfortable as it is to have to think about those in November, it is necessary.
Ever since the Warriors’ last title in 2022, the front office has preached the idea of a two-timeline plan. The vision was to construct a roster to contend in Curry’s final years while preserving and developing young talent to carry the torch into the future.
For several reasons, that mission has gone awry.
Conflicting Plans
Jordan Poole was viewed as the primary piece who could potentially take the reins from Curry. He played the most similarly to him and spent more time than the other young cast around him studying his game.
Plans quickly changed when new team manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. shipped him to Washington, D.C.
The subsequent two years haven’t provided much clarity to the organization. Despite the acquisition of Jimmy Butler last season, the team has struggled to find the balance of maximizing its future Hall-of-Famers while integrating the young players.
Fifth-year forward Jonathan Kuminga had shown promising signs of blossoming into the role the Warriors needed. After a great first few games of this season, Kuminga has taken a step back.
A common theme in the issue involving their young players is knowing when to take over and when to take a back seat. On nights like Wednesday versus the Spurs, where Curry and Butler were the stars, the supporting cast needs to know how to play a complementary role.
At certain points in an 82-game grind, Moses Moody, Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski, and rookie Will Richard will need to lead the squad. Equally important, though, is understanding how to contribute when the veterans have it going.
Podziemski in particular has struggled thus far. His slump has been magnified tenfold by his bold claim that he wants to be Curry’s successor. Meanwhile, former Florida Gator Will Richard has exceeded expectations in his first season and taken over Podziemski’s starting spot.
Getting on the Same Page
During postgame media on Tuesday, Butler and Draymond Green turned heads with comments seemingly questioning the role players’ dedication to winning. This only added more speculation to potential disconnect between the star trio and youngsters.
According to Steve Kerr, Green had already addressed the team multiple times regarding their losing skid, meaning, his postgame interview wasn’t the only time they heard his thoughts.
Injuries to veterans and shifting lineups have made it harder to build continuity. Kerr’s adjustment of inserting Richards and Moody into the starting lineup appeared to have worked well on Wednesday. Sticking with this starting five could help the Warriors get off to a stronger start and be just the move to get the team rolling again.
Going forward, players like Podziemski and Kuminga may see reduced roles. Maintaining a positive attitude and still contributing in the minutes Kerr gives them will be key in showing their willingness to do whatever it takes to win.
Curry insisted the team wasn’t in complete panic mode, rating the 24 hour span following Green’s comments as a four from 1-10 on a crisis scale. It is still notable that he thought the level reached that number to begin with.
Players can’t control whether or not their shot falls down; but what they can control is their effort. This was Green and Butler’s primary issue with the team’s level of play.
The Warriors’ youth have claimed to want larger roles, but failed several tests that have been thrown their away.
Still a Chance
What the Warriors can’t afford — what would be worst-case scenario — is being noncompetitive now and in the post-Steph iteration.
The team is no longer the laughing stock of the NBA like it was back in 2009. But the player who sent out that tweet and spearheaded that turnaround deserves a fair shot at seeing how much he can add to the incredible legacy of that foretelling message.
The next few months will signal a lot about the state of the Warriors and whether or not the two-timeline blueprint has a chance at executing. If their victory against the Spurs on Wednesday winds up being the catalyst this season, then the dual outlook approach has a a chance.
Mortgaging their future to go all in on the Curry era with a big superstar is unlikely, but may happen if the young players no longer fit the vision. The front office doesn’t have to answer the two-timeline question just yet, but every day that passes is one day closer to their two-time MVP’s retirement.
Curry may need to channel that same optimism he had 16 years ago.
How far he can take that prophecy is still being written. But if there’s one thing Dub Nation has learned: Never doubt Curry and the Warriors’ ability to figure it out.
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