Add FiveThirtyEight to the list of screenings the Warriors don’t like this season.
FiveThirtyEight’s prediction model makes the Warriors only go 31-41 this season. How bad is that? The Oklahoma City Thunder are expected to be the only team worse than the Western Conference Warriors.
This model not only makes the Warriors the second worst team in the Western Conference, behind teams like the Kings and Minnesota Timberwolves, but it also gives them the eighth worst record in the entire NBA. . After having the worst record of the shortened 2019-20 season, this is, of course, the last thing owner Joe Lacob and Co. want to see. I’m in win mode now, not in a rebuild, after only getting number 2 in the NBA draft.
However, there may be a silver lining here. Be with me.
In this case, the Warriors could have two lottery options in what is expected to be a loaded draw class. They would keep both of the top T-Wolves protected choices they bought in the D’Angelo Russell-Andrew Wiggins trade and keep their own top 20 protected choice, instead of sending it to Thunder. Golden State could add two top talents to the draft less than taking James Wiseman with his top pick.
If the FiveThirtyEight projection model proves to be true, the Warriors could have a core of Steph Curry, Klay Thompson (on his return from torn Achilles), Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green, Wiseman and two top picks in the 2021 project. he could use both choices to try to gain another star.
RELATED: Eleven prospects for the Warriors to pursue with the choice of T-Wolves
Again, this is not what the Warriors want this season. Away from. But with most things, there is usually a hypothetical silver lining.
Even with a disaster like this.
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