The Golden State Warriors are once again the team to beat in the NBA. They're fresh off another championship and figure to be good for years to come, as they've added more youth to their experienced core.
That's why keeping Andrew Wiggins and Jordan Poole for the long run will be key to their success, and why an extension seems imminent at this point.
In a recent sit-down with The Athletic, Warriors coach Steve Kerr addressed just how important those guys have become, stating that they've become a part of their 'foundational six' alongside Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, and Kevon Looney:
“We have probably more continuity than anybody in the league with our core group,” Kerr said. “Add Wiggs and Jordan and the institutional knowledge they’ve gained, and we have a really strong foundation. That’s the most important thing you can have in this league.
Notably, some of those players were linked to trade rumors early last season. That's because the Warriors didn't realize the untapped potential they had together:
“We had it going into last year. But the difference was, a year ago, we didn’t know if we were really contender," Kerr added. "That’s why the 18-2 start was so big. It reinforced it. This year, being defending champs, it doesn’t guarantee anything, but you have a confident sense in who you are. We have our main six guys back, the foundational six that we know are going to be on the court for big minutes every night. That allows us to bring our young guys along.”
Kerr also expected James Wiseman to take a step forward now that he's fully healthy. However, he confirmed Kevon Looney would continue to be the starter, at least for the time being:
“Loon will come back as the starter,” Kerr said. “He has earned that and then some. We’re all thrilled that he’s back. There was a real fear that we’d lose him. To get him back is massive for our team. It sets up well for Loon to continue what he did for us last year. In doing so, he’s really a good mentor for James.”
The Warriors are clearly quite high on their core. That's why they ruled themselves out of the Kevin Durant sweepstakes, and even why they could afford to trade Draymond Green.
Once again, they've built through the Draft and put themselves in a position to be good now and in the future. So, those who predicted the end of the dynasty will have to wait a little longer.
