The Golden State Warriors made a flurry of additions late in the offseason to boost their championship hopes.
Now that Jonathan Kuminga’s contract dispute has been resolved, the Golden State Warriors have added a number of players to their star-studded roster.
Al Horford, De’Anthony Melton and Seth Curry are among the new faces joining the Warriors’ roster next season, and Gary Payton II re-signed to return to the Bay. After a summer of uncertainty, Golden State is now in position to chase Stephen Curry’s fifth NBA title.
And former Denver Nuggets head coach Michael Malone said one of the Warriors’ new additions was a “match made in heaven” for Stephen Curry.
Al Horford was Golden State’s most notable player this summer. He will likely remain in the starting five as an experienced big man to replace Kevon Looney, who is currently with the New Orleans Pelicans.
Horford brings championship experience and locker room leadership to the Warriors, but Malone also believes he’s a great fit for Curry on the court.
On NBA Countdown, he explained: “Historically, Steve Kerr hasn’t been a pick-and-roll coach.
“They probably didn’t have a player…now you add a guy who is one of the most prolific pick-and-pop bigs this game has seen in the last 10 years.
“So I think this is a match made in heaven. I know Stephen Curry must be really excited.”
But Malone’s prediction hinges on one big qualifier. Throughout his tenure as the Warriors’ head coach, Kerr has shown a reluctance to adapt his playing style.
Even with Kevin Durant on the team, Kerr never wavered from his philosophy. Durant is one of the greatest isolation scorers of all time, and the pick-and-roll between Curry and Durant may have been one of the most deadly plays in league history.
Durant repeatedly expressed a desire to play more pick-and-rolls, but Kerr stuck to an attack that focused on motion, ball movement, and off-ball action. If it didn’t change for Durant, it’s unlikely to change for Horford.
Last season, the Warriors acquired Jimmy Butler from the Miami Heat in a trade and had a good run heading into the playoffs. With Curry, Butler, and Draymond Green starting, they went 23-8 and became a legitimate championship favorite.
Unfortunately, Curry’s injury in the postseason ended the Warriors’ hopes, but Malone explained why the Warriors had so much success after the Butler trade.
“I think about Jimmy Butler and the impact he had last year. He went 25-3-8 and they had the No. 1 defense in the NBA during that time. While Steph was off the floor, they played through Jimmy Butler and their free throw percentage was through the roof.”
| Warriors after Jimmy Butler trade | statistics | nba rank |
| Win – Lose | 23-8 | 3rd place |
| Free throw attempts per game | 24.9 | 3rd place |
| Defense power evaluation | 109 | 1st place |
“After the first training camp, I’m looking forward to seeing how Steve Kerr uses Jimmy Butler and the addition of Al Horford, who will be a very important addition to this team.”
Butler couldn’t carry the Warriors on his back when Curry went down, and perhaps the “Playoff Jimmy” mantra built around his ability to reach another level once the postseason begins may be over.
But as the team’s second star, he helped form the Western Conference’s dangerous Big Three.