With the Golden State Warriors losing Kevin Durant to the Brooklyn Nets in free agency and Klay Thompson expected to miss most of next season with a torn ACL, many across the league are already counting the Warriors out. However, the Warriors still pieced together one of the most successful multi-year stretches in NBA history, and they certainly didn’t have Durant’s services throughout.
Even though he’s expected to be sidelined until some time around the All-Star break, Klay Thompson still has the utmost faith in his team, and rightfully so. Thompson recently told ESPN that it’s ‘premature’ and ‘ignorant’ to call the Warriors’ dynasty over, especially with him, Stephen Curry and Draymond Green still on the roster.
Klay Thompson on those who say the Warriors' dynasty is over: "To say the dynasty is over is a little ignorant because I'm going to come back better and even more athletic. It would not be smart to count the Dubs out." pic.twitter.com/BVshD0xzR2
— Chris Montano (@gswchris) August 1, 2019
Though they may have had a tougher summer than they would’ve liked, Klay Thompson is still correct in his final synopsis. The Warriors are still the only team in the NBA with four All-Stars, and counting them out is a bad idea, regardless of how tough the Western Conference looks next season.
And while losing Durant was surely a major blow for the Warriors, they were at least able to get D’Angelo Russell back in return- one of the most skilled young guards in the NBA in his own right. While some may question the fit, the talent is undeniable, and learning from someone like Stephen Curry only figured to add to Russell’s high ceiling.
It’s also well-known the Warriors enjoyed their best season record-wise without Durant on the roster in 2015-16 when they won a record 73 regular-season games. With largely the same core intact minus some of their bench pieces, they could certainly enjoy another successful campaign in 2019-20.
Thompson should be returning back to full health just as the postseason begins, only making this Warriors team more dangerous down the stretch. If Curry, Russell and Green can hold it down for the majority of the regular season, these Warriors will once again be an opponent no one wants to see on their schedule come playoff time.
