Steph Curry is set as the Warriors' starting point guard. Even after a season in which Curry played just five games due to injury, the two-time MVP remains the face of the franchise and one of the NBA's best players.
But his backup has become a rare hole in what was a deep Warriors' roster. Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston filled this role perfectly between the two, but both have moved on from the organization. In 2019-20, draft pick Jordan Poole and former two-way bruiser Ky Bowman did their best to fill the void but were league-average at best.
That's why finding Curry's backup is high on the team's checklist this offseason, league sources tell The Athletic's Anthony Slater.
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"It’s clear the Warriors must address that area of need," Slater writes. "Sources indicate that backup point guard will be one of the front office’s offseason roster priorities."
Slater mentioned the report while writing about former Rookie of the Year Michael Carter-Williams, a 6-foot-6 point guard who could be an ideal veteran backup to Curry.
Plenty of draft experts have tied Golden State to some of this year's top point guards, including LaMelo Ball, Tyrese Haliburton and Killian Hayes. The Warriors are guaranteed to have a top-five pick in the 2020 draft, and likely will have their pick of at least two of these players, if not all three.
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Big man often has been mentioned as the front office's other main priority this offseason, as the center position doesn't have much certainty for the Warriors outside of Marquese Chriss returning to the fold in 2020-21.
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But young centers also tend to have the toughest time adjusting to the NBA game, in terms of adapting athletically and skill-wise. For a team expected to jump right back into championship contention this upcoming season, bringing in a veteran big man alongside Chriss and drafting a young guard who can learn behind Curry might be the more reasonable option.
Forcing a prospect like James Wiseman into heavy minutes early could hinder his NBA development, whereas a more experienced center could help run the defense and fill his spots correctly on offense. A free agent filling an Andrew Bogut-like role would allow the Warriors to bring a player like Haliburton or Ball in and give them control of the second unit, while still getting to study daily under the tutelage of one of the NBA's best point guards ever in Curry.
Either way, it's very unlikely Poole remains the backup for Curry once the ball gets rolling next season. But whether that replacement is an experienced pro or a teenager with sky-high potential remains to be seen.