Even after taking down the San Antonio Spurs to move to 8-9 on the season and 2-1 in In-Season Tournament play, the past two weeks have been a whirlwind for the Golden State Warriors. They’ve presented several reoccurring problems but still seem content to ride it out and trust their system. While a few bright spots have presented themselves, the last 11 games have not been encouraging for the organization.
Golden State Warriors Surviving Amidst Plenty of Problems
Draymond Green
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr: Draymond Green 'crossed' line with chokehold, suspension is 'deserved' https://t.co/1N5UxcAOBS
— Fox News (@FoxNews) November 18, 2023
The question, “Do the Warriors have a Draymond Green problem?” has been posed for years. Green’s incident involving Rudy Gobert was just the latest of his complicated history of ferocity, resulting in his five-game suspension. Golden State went 2-3 through his absence and somehow kept afloat in the In-Season Tournament.
Sure, Green could come back and have a stretch where he plays out of his mind, showcasing elite defensive prowess and displaying the importance of his chemistry with Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson. The fact remains that he’s volatile.
Green was not the only one to blame in the Gobert chokehold, but he was the last person to step in and elevate the situation to a level that forced the league to take further action. While his desire to protect his teammates is good, it can’t result in acts that affect the team in the future.
There’s no question about Green’s vitalness to the Warriors. Golden State could be in deep trouble if an extended suspension came in a playoff series against a team with skilled bigs.
Relationship to Officials
This may be a slight overreaction to the Chris Paul-Scott Foster situation, but a combination of Paul and Green may not be a referee’s dream to officiate.
Chris Paul says the situation with Scott Foster is “personal” pic.twitter.com/nB0SG9nUzh
— NBA Retweet (@RTNBA) November 23, 2023
Obviously, Paul and Foster have a deep, mutual hatred for one another on a personal level. The NBA should likely prevent Foster from officiating Warriors games, but that may not entirely prevent the issue.
Paul has a history of having something to say to officials and needing to get the last word, and Green has a history that was just detailed. A referee isn’t going to look forward to a game where they have to officiate those two, and their patience will likely be very thin in that situation.
Andrew Wiggins
It’s no secret that Andrew Wiggins hasn’t quite looked like himself this season. The Wiggins that helped the Warriors to a 2022 title has emerged just once this season for a 31-point outburst in a loss to Oklahoma City.
The Warriors’ wing play has left lots to be desired this season when paired with Thompson’s struggles. Thompson, though, has displayed no lack of confidence, while Wiggins seems uncomfortable.
His scoring is down to 11.8 points per game on 42/26/56 splits. He’s also averaging less than half a steal and block per game, a step back from the elite wing defense we’ve seen in the past. The Warriors cannot vault back into title contention with Wiggins playing like this. As the trade deadline and Thompson’s expiring contract slowly approach, Wiggins could be the odd man out. It’s difficult for Mike Dunleavy to justify the $24 million price tag for this type of production.
The Warriors’ Bright Spots
The biggest positive for Golden State lately has been Dario Saric. On a minimum contract, Saric has carved out a huge role, providing size and skill off the bench. He’s developed great chemistry with Paul in pick-and-roll/pop situations, averaging 18.3 points in his last three games.
Along with Saric, a group of young guys have stepped up when necessary. Rookies Brandin Podziemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis have proved to be vital options in spurts when other guys need rest. Moses Moody is also playing well, somewhat reminding the team what they miss in Andre Iguodala.
The Warriors seem to think they will be fine in the long run. The trade deadline is months away, so they can wait to see what moves need to be made. They still have to continue winning games to keep their head above water in a deep Western Conference.
