One of the main subplots of this NBA season has been the idea that this is the final season of the Golden State Warriors nucleus as we know it. Kevin Durant is the most likely player to be gone. DeMarcus Cousins is also almost surely out the door. And Draymond Green could be the next to go.
The Ringer’s Bill Simmons and Joe House discussed the future of the Warriors roster this week and Simmons – who is tied in to NBA scuttlebutt and was the first to whisper that LeBron was going to the Lakers two years ago – believes the Warriors will be looking to shake things up. In fact, Simmons went so far as to say he believes that Warriors management won’t be too disappointed if Durant, Cousins and Green are all on different rosters next season.
Here is the conversation between Simmons and House.
Simmons: Klutch took Draymond Green this weekend … I was watching pre-Durant Golden State games and I think they’re going to say let’s just ride this Steph and Klay thing. And we’ll just figure out which pieces to put around them. If Draymond wants to leave, so be it. Like, how is Draymond going to age?
House: We’re seeing it already.
Simmons: You can see it in his stats. The wear and tear of being the undersized center … remember when Ben Wallace had that five year run where he was just awesome? He signed that contract and he just faded. Because his game was not that complex the fading of his game was actually a lot. He just wasn’t an impact guy anymore. I just wonder with Draymond at 6-foot-7, what is his game in two or three years? Another question is are the Warriors going to be devastated if Kevin Durant leaves?
House: They’re not light years ahead but as long as you have Klay and Steph you’re a top three franchise in the West.
Simmons: They’re not even happy in Year 3 of [the Durant era]. Are they going to be happy in Year 6? They can barely make it to the finish line in Year 3. Maybe this is the chance – Durant leaves, thanks for the titles. Draymond leaves in a year. This might be the chance to reset and reinvent.
Boogie can’t come back to the Warriors unless it’s just for 120 percent of what he makes. He makes like $5 million this year. So he’s leaving.
House: 100 percent. He might be a Los Angeles Laker.
Simmons: Well they could have had him last year. He was just sitting there.
House: They should have.
Simmons: I think it’s 90 to 95 percent that Durant is on the Knicks next year.
