Some Final Thoughts on the 2016-2017 Golden State Warriors
During my week of NBA talk, I have been pretty hard on the Cavs, and LeBron. It is deserving, but I've kind of ripped them apart as much as I feel necessary. I'm also researching a very big basketball story that I will put out tomorrow. Today I'm going to turn my views over to the Warriors. I have some quick thoughts on this super team.
First off, they are a super, super team. They have 3 of the best 5 five shooters to ever play the game. They have length all over the back court. They spread teams out like no one I have ever seen. They have 2 recent MVP winners. They have the most versatile defender I have ever watched. They have a great coach.
The Warriors literally have it all. Their role players and bench leave a bit to be desired, but they have Steph, KD, Klay and Draymond, so their role players don't change the outcome too much. Yes, Iguodala has been great, but he is 32 and he looks older. Shaun Livingston is great, and has come back from brutal injuries, but now that he has 2 titles, I think he might bolt for a bigger contract, and the opportunity to be a starter. Ian Clark and Patrick McCaw are so young, but they look to be developing within the Warriors system, so maybe they are the heir apparent to Shaun Livingston and Andre Iguoldala for this team. Other than that, it is very mediocre. David West has his title and I would not be surprised if he retires. He doesn't seem to fit in the new NBA. I love David West, his toughness is unparalleled, but he is playing a style of basketball that doesn't fit in the modern game. Javale McGee brings a ton of energy, but he gets a little to hyped up at times, and unless he is in the right system, like the Warriors, he is more of a headache that a spark plug. Ask any Wizards or 76ers fans their thoughts on Javale McGee. That being said, I thought he was great for this particular team. Zaza Pachulia, who is their starting center, is trash. This dude just fouls and misses layups and sets moving screens all the time. When he was in the game, the Warriors always seemed to lose big leads due to him fouling a Cav or missing a wide open layup. He is a liability and I'm pretty sure he will not be heard from much anymore in the NBA. This series proved that he is a waste of a roster space. Other than that, the Warriors have guys like James Michael McAdoo, Matt Barnes, Kevon Looney and Damian Jones. I'm pretty sure McAdoo is more known for his lineage than his game. Matt Barnes is better known as the dude that beat the shit out of Derek Fisher than any contribution he made to the Warriors this year. I'm pretty sure Kevon Looney is in the D League. And as far as Damian Jones, I didn't even know he was an NBA player until I looked it up a second ago. All this being said, I don't think it matters with this Warriors team. As long as they keep their core four together, you could plug in me and my buddies that I play pick up with and they'd still win 60 plus games and the Finals every year. This team is that good.
Another thing I have read recently about this team is their hesitancy to visit the current White House. I hope that none of them go. This would set a great precedent for title winning teams in the near future. This team, and Steve Kerr, have been very outspoken as far as their political leanings, and if they skip that trip, I would be so happy. That would piss off this whiny, childish "administration" so much, and I would just love it. Steph came out recently, or it was reported, that he said he would probably not visit the White House. KD and Klay are quieter dudes, but I don't think they'd go. Draymond isn't going to go. He doesn't have to say anything, I just know he won't go. And their coach, Steve Kerr, while he has said that they haven't made a decision yet, I'd bet a lot of money that he will not visit those monsters. I'm not a Warriors fan, but they are incredibly forward thinking in all matters, and if they skip the White House visit, which I think they will, I will have so much respect for them. That would be so awesome, and a big slap in the face to the douchebags that work in DC right now. If they do visit, I hope they only go see senators like Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren and the like. To go there and only see Democratic senators would be such a baller move, and the Warriors have the guys that would do that. The only thing that would make it better is if they went and visited the Clinton's instead. That would be incredible. Anything to make the current "government" more unhappy is alright with me.
Finally, all of what I've written about this team, minus the possible visit, doesn't matter as long as they stay together. I've already said this, but it bares repeating. They are video game cheat code good, and no one, no matter who LeBron tries to get to replace Kevin Love, will beat them if they are fully healthy. The Warriors will lose guys like David West, Matt Barnes and possibly Shaun Livingston, but they will just replace them with some other ring chasers. I've heard that Zach Randolph has an interest in signing with them. I wouldn't be shocked if someone like Al Jefferson or even a Paul Milsap replace guys like Zaza and West and McGee. And, they have Ian Clark and Patrick McCaw, who looked decent in their small minutes in the Finals. This team is poised to be the champs for, at least, the next 3 years.
Ty
Ty is the Pop Culture editor for SeedSing, the other host of the X Millennial Man Podcast, and the greatest basketball writer on the internet.
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