2016-17 NBA Season Preview: Golden State Warriors
Welcome to theScore's preview of the 2016-17 NBA season.
Golden State Warriors
2015-16
| Record | Pacific | West | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 73-9 | 1st | 1st | Lost in Finals (4-3 CLE) |
| Additions | Departures |
|---|---|
| Kevin Durant (2/$54.3M) | Harrison Barnes (DAL) |
| Zaza Pachulia (1/$2.9M) | Andrew Bogut (DAL) |
| Elliot Williams (vet minimum) | Festus Ezeli (POR) |
| David West (vet minimum) | Marreese Speights (LAC) |
| Patrick McCaw (draft) | Leandro Barbosa (PHX) |
| Damian Jones (draft) | Brandon Rush (MIN) |
- Re-signed Anderson Varejao (vet minimum)
- Re-signed Ian Clark (1/$1M)
- Re-signed James Michael McAdoo (1/$980K)
Projected Starting 5
- PG Steph Curry
- SG Klay Thompson
- SF Kevin Durant
- PF Draymond Green
- C Zaza Pachulia
Related: Why the Warriors won't reach 73 wins
Player to watch: Zaza Pachulia
While Kevin Durant's arrival in the Bay Area gobbled up the majority of headlines, Golden State's signing of Zaza Pachulia could go down as one of the best value moves of the offseason.
Pachulia was magnificent for the Dallas Mavericks during the opening three months of 2015-16, leading some pundits to wonder whether the 32-year-old was deserving of the first All-Star appearance of his career.
However, as Pachulia's play began to slip during the second half of the season, so did Dallas' record. The Georgian-born center averaged just 5.8 points on 44.8 percent shooting following the All-Star break, as the Mavericks went just 13-14 down the stretch.
As one of the league's top screeners, Pachulia could have a significant impact on the Warriors' offense - helping to generate open shots for the likes of Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson.
With Andrew Bogut and Festus Ezeli gone from last year's roster, the Warriors will be hoping to get the first-half version of Pachulia, and not the one that played a part in the Mavericks' first-round exit.
Season Expectations
After adding a former MVP to a squad that won an NBA-record 73 wins last year, the Warriors enter the 2016-17 campaign as the overwhelming favorites to hoist the title for the second time in three seasons.
While working Durant into the offense could prove a slight challenge in the early going, Golden State is both too talented and too unselfish of a team to struggle to accommodate for the seven-time All-Star.
Golden State's lack of rim protection remains a cause for concern, and could stem into a bigger issue with Bogut and Ezeli gone from last year's roster. However, considering the Warriors just added a four-time scoring champion to the NBA's No. 1 offensive team, it likely won't matter how many points they surrender on most nights.
While Golden State may not surpass last year's 73-win total, it's a sure bet to be one of the premier teams in the NBA once again.