While Steph Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green are the Warriors' core three, president of basketball operations/general manager Bob Myers has managed to acquire two young, high-upside players who could be the future of the franchise.
Andrew Wiggins and Kelly Oubre Jr., both 25 years old, have been acquired in trades during 2020, and they have the potential to lengthen the Warriors' window to compete for an NBA title. Throw in No. 2 overall draft pick James Wiseman, and Golden State could have another core three at some point in the future.
Former Warriors guard Nick Young tuned into the Warriors' preseason opener against the Denver Nuggets on Saturday, and he made sure to point out that Wiggins and Oubre aren't pushovers.
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A lot of pundits and analysts have been writing the Warriors off as contenders since Klay Thompson tore his right Achilles on Nov. 18. Myers acquired Oubre Jr. in response to Thompson's second straight season-ending injury.
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But the Warriors are counting on the two 25-year-olds to fill the void with Thompson out. If Wiggins and Oubre Jr. can reach their potential, the Warriors still could find themselves at the top of the Western Conference standings in May, when the 72-game 2020-21 regular season ends.
As Warriors owner Joe Lacob said during Saturday's broadcast on NBC Sports Bay Area, the Warriors will go as far as Wiggins and Oubre Jr. take them.
"So goes them, kind of so goes the team," Lacob told Bob Fitzgerald and Kelenna Azubuike. "We know what Steph's gonna be ... and Draymond [Green] of course. We need those guys to really [step up]. This is it. They're 25 years old, both of 'em. This is the time for them to really make the case for their careers. If they can be as good as we think they could be, then I think we could be a pretty good team."
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If Young and Lacob agree on this topic, maybe the pundits and experts questioning the Warriors should take notice and change their tune.