The NBA offseason isn’t even two days old, but the Warriors already are being considered as favorites heading into next season.
Chris “Mad Dog” Russo listed the Warriors atop his top-five championship contenders for the 2023-24 NBA season on Tuesday’s episode of ESPN’s “First Take.”
"I love Golden State,” Russo said. “I think Golden State has got one more championship in their bones before they all fade away and discard.”
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"Mad Dog" ranked the 2023 champion Denver Nuggets second on his list, followed by the Milwaukee Bucks, Sacramento Kings and Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Warriors have plenty of work to do this offseason to get back to their championship identity, after a roller-coaster season that ended with a 44-38 record and second-round exit in the playoffs. They'll have to navigate the summer without longtime general manager Bob Myers, who is stepping down after 12 years leading the front office through the most successful decade-plus in franchise history.
One of the Warriors' biggest questions is the future of Draymond Green, the heart and soul of the dynasty who could become an unrestricted free agent in a couple of weeks if he declines his $27.6 million player option for the 2023-24 campaign.
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"[Golden State] has got one more run in them," Russo said. "... I think they’ll bring Green back."
The Warriors have their work cut out for them, but they've earned the benefit of the doubt with four championships in the last nine years.