Defending a championship is hard enough under normal circumstances. Given the degree of parity in the National Basketball Association and the depth of the Western Conference, in particular, the Warriors cannot even look to another finals appearance as a sure thing. Never mind that they’re trying to run it back with virtually the same roster. And forget that their cause will continue be led by eight-time All-Star Stephen Curry; his status as the best shooter in pro hoops annals notwithstanding, their chances to retain the hardware are enhanced if and only if they keep being greater than the sum of their parts.
Taken in this context, the sucker punch veteran Draymond Green unleashed on fourth-year teammate Jordan Poole last week serves only to increase the number of obstacles that stand in the Warriors’ way. If anything, they’re actually in worse position because they do not have to go beyond their own backyard to see their biggest problem. And though they’ve had experience dealing with it before, the fact that it has reared its ugly head anew underscores their inability to address it with finality.
That said, the Warriors know time will inevitably provide the answer to their concern. Perhaps the solution won’t be to their liking; although the ideal has them staying intact, the prospect of Poole and Green settling their differences likewise needs to be considered with the financial constraints under which the Warriors will operate in the medium term. Even granting that peace will reign throughout their 2022-23 campaign, the need for them to tighten their belts necessitates lineup changes. Because they have no intention of maintaining a whopping payroll that could conceivably reach $600 million, the rapid escalation in the prices of vital components has gone beyond their reach.
Bottom line, the Warriors can afford only two of Poole, fellow starter Andrew Wiggins, and Green. And because the latter is already 32 and counting, he’s likely to be the casualty. And while his contract allows him to opt in through 2024, it’s not hard to wonder if he’d be willing to lose $27.6 million in exchange for a soft landing elsewhere. If he waits another year, his value may well be down by the time he hits free agency.
It has been argued that Green’s contributions won’t be as pronounced in another team using another system. Given his unique skill set, however, a valid counterpoint can also be made: the Warriors have thrived as a group precisely because he is the glue that binds them together. Whether or not he would fit elsewhere is another matter altogether. In any case, his latest flareup brings to the fore his capacity to both help and hurt, and the front office’s imperative to determine if he has now become more of a liability than an asset.
Anthony L. Cuaycong has been writing Courtside since BusinessWorld introduced a Sports section in 1994. He is a consultant on strategic planning, operations and Human Resources management, corporate communications, and business development.