Warriors Hot Takes After 1st Week of 2022-23 NBA Season
The Golden State Warriors ended the 2021-22 season as NBA champs.
They've opened the 2022-23 campaign moving a step or two slower than championship speed.
They have split their first four contests and only lost to the Denver Nuggets by five points, so it's not like there are major alarm sirens blaring around the Bay Area. Saying that, though, they haven't exactly flexed their championship muscle yet.
What's happening with the Warriors? Well, we'll take a stab at answering some of the main topics by dissecting a trio of spicy hot takes.
Stephen Curry's MVP Argument Will Be Loud
If the campaign closed tomorrow, Curry probably wouldn't be taking home his third MVP trophy. He would, however, factor prominently in the conversation.
And, barring injury or any unforeseen development, he'll be a part of these discussions all season.
His 30.3 points per game are the second-most he's ever averaged. Meanwhile, his 2.5 turnovers match his previous personal-best. He's tossing in absurd 5.0 triples per night and converting them at an even more outlandish 44.4 percent clip.
The statistical difference of the Dubs being with and without Curry is a whopping 41 points per 100 possessions, per NBA.com. While that number might be most indicative of what the Warriors are getting—or, more accurately, not getting—out of their young bench, it also shows that their sharpshooting point guard remains the proverbial straw stirring their drink.
Jonathan Kuminga Might Be a Better Trade Chip Than Player
Last season, Kuminga flashed enough high-level talent that he seemingly played his way into untouchable status early in the campaign.
This time around, his position with the team is a lot less certain. That's not necessarily indicative of anything Kuminga isn't doing, but it does reflect the raw state of the 20-year-old's game and perhaps an unwillingness of the coaching staff to live through his mistakes.
With Draymond Green, Kevon Looney, James Wiseman and JaMychal Green all factoring into the power rotation, Kuminga has often been squeezed for floor time. He's logging just 10.8 minutes per game (down from 16.9 last season), and he's only received double-digit minutes in the club's two double-digit games.
If the Warriors can't offer him the developmental minutes he needs, they might have to consider shopping him around to a long-term rebuilder that can. It would take a hefty return to pry him out of Golden State, and the Dubs would need to add at least one plug-and-play contributor in return, but the previously unthinkable notion of dealing Kuminga for a present upgrade no longer feels impossible.
Klay Thompson's Peak Is Behind Him
Doubting Thompson isn't easy. Not with his decorated resume, and certainly not after watching him work his way back from two devastating injuries: an ACL tear in 2019 and a ruptured Achilles in 2020.
And yet, if his early run is any indication, it seems like his best days could be buried in the past.
He's still helpful to have, obviously. Last season, he was their second-leading scorer in the regular season and manned the same post during a playoff run that ended in banner-raising bliss. He's an active defender—if not as mobile as his pre-injury form—and fiery three-point shooter, even if he's not as accurate as he was before.
Of course, that's assuming he returns to last season's connection rates and not the paltry marks he's posted so far: 35.6 percent overall and 28.6 percent from three. Those percentages will surely perk up, but his days of being a premier perimeter defender and efficient three-level scorer might be lost to the history books.