Stephen A. Smith thinks CHANGE IS COMING for the Warriors 🍿 | First Take

ESPN
17 Apr 202412:55

Summary

TLDRThe video script discusses the current state of the Golden State Warriors, highlighting their recent struggles and the need for change. Despite Steph Curry's continued high-level performance, the team has missed the playoffs three times in five years. The analysis points to the decline of Klay Thompson and the inconsistency of Andrew Wiggins as significant factors. The Warriors' management, including Joe Lacob, is expected to make strategic moves to improve the team, potentially involving salary cap adjustments and roster changes. The discussion also touches on the competitive landscape of the Western Conference, emphasizing the parity and the challenge the Warriors face to remain relevant. The consensus is that while the Warriors have shown growth, they have not met expectations for the season, and their failure to make the playoffs is considered a failure given their status as a contender.

Takeaways

  • 🏆 The Golden State Warriors are seen as having failed this season because they did not make the playoffs despite high expectations.
  • 👴 Aging key players like Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green are a concern for the Warriors' future success.
  • 📉 Klay Thompson's performance has declined, and he may need to take a pay cut, potentially signaling a change in the team's dynamics.
  • 💰 The Warriors, being a high-value team with significant payroll, are under pressure to get under the luxury tax threshold.
  • 🚨 Andrew Wiggins' inconsistent play and issues outside of basketball have been a point of discussion regarding the team's performance.
  • 🧐 The team's management, particularly Joe Lacob, is expected to make changes to keep the Warriors competitive.
  • 📈 Despite missing the playoffs, there are signs of growth within the team, especially with younger players stepping up.
  • 🤔 The Warriors' future success will depend on how they manage their roster and finances to remain competitive in a tough Western Conference.
  • 🌳 The discussion suggests that to significantly improve, the Warriors may need to look at trading or restructuring deals involving high-profile players.
  • 🏀 The Western Conference is highly competitive, with many teams on the rise, which could make it difficult for the Warriors to regain their former dominance.
  • ⏰ Time is of the essence for the Warriors, as they need to capitalize on Steph Curry's remaining prime years to achieve success.

Q & A

  • Do you think the Golden State Warriors are at the end of their era?

    -Yes, it is suggested that the Warriors are at the end of their era as they have missed the playoffs three times in five years and are facing increased competition in the Western Conference.

  • What was Stephen A's opinion on Steph Curry's performance last night?

    -Stephen A acknowledged Steph Curry as a superstar but mentioned a relatively pedestrian performance, hitting 50% of his shots and scoring 22 points, which wasn't enough to beat the Sacramento Kings.

  • What is Klay Thompson's current status in relation to the Warriors?

    -Klay Thompson is approaching free agency, and while he is not performing at his peak, there are still many NBA teams that could use his services.

  • How many times have the Golden State Warriors missed the playoffs in the past five years?

    -The Golden State Warriors have missed the playoffs three times in the past five years.

  • What is the record of the Warriors against the top six teams this year?

    -The Warriors' record against the top six teams this year is 4 and 19.

  • How does Andrew Wiggins' inconsistency affect the Warriors' performance?

    -Andrew Wiggins' inconsistency, along with family issues, affects the Warriors' performance as he is not always able to show up and contribute when needed.

  • What changes are expected for the Warriors in the future?

    -Change is expected for the Warriors, with the possibility of roster adjustments, salary cap management, and potential retirements or departures of key players.

  • What is the financial situation of the Golden State Warriors?

    -The Golden State Warriors are a $400 million team, including taxes, and there is a need to get under the luxury tax threshold.

  • What is the current stance of the Warriors regarding the luxury tax?

    -The Warriors' owner, Joe Lacob, has stated on record that they need to get under the luxury tax, which may involve roster changes or salary adjustments.

  • What was the Warriors' record when Draymond Green played this year?

    -The Warriors finished the season 27-12 when Draymond Green played.

  • How does the competition in the Western Conference affect the Warriors' chances?

    -The increased competition in the Western Conference, with many talented teams, has elevated the level of play to a point where the Warriors might be left behind if they do not improve.

  • What is the final verdict on this season for the Warriors?

    -The season is considered a failure for the Warriors as they did not make the postseason, despite having a better win-loss record than the previous season.

Outlines

00:00

🏀 The Decline of the Warriors Dynasty

Stephen A discusses the potential end of the Golden State Warriors' dominance in basketball. He acknowledges the team's significant contributions to the sport and praises Steph Curry's performance, despite a less than stellar game against the Sacramento Kings. The conversation touches on Klay Thompson's upcoming free agency and his perceived decline in performance. The Warriors' recent playoff misses and poor record against top teams are highlighted as signs of a team in transition. The discussion also considers the inconsistency of Andrew Wiggins and the need for change within the team's roster and strategy to remain competitive in the Western Conference.

05:00

📉 Assessing the Warriors' Season and Future Prospects

The panelists debate whether the Warriors' season should be considered a failure for not making the playoffs, despite showing improvement over the previous year. They discuss the team's record with and without Draymond Green and the potential for growth with their young players. There's a recognition that the Western Conference has become more competitive, making it harder for the Warriors to stand out. Stephen A insists that not making the playoffs is a failure for a team with the Warriors' aspirations, while others argue that the team still has potential for growth and that missing the playoffs does not mean they are withering away.

10:00

🚀 The Houston Rockets as a Success Story

Stephen A contrasts the Warriors' situation with that of the Houston Rockets, who are seen as a success story despite not winning a championship. He emphasizes the nuance in evaluating a team's season, acknowledging that success is not solely defined by winning a title. The conversation points out the tight competition in the Western Conference, where the difference between the top and bottom teams is minimal. Stephen A challenges the notion that failing to win a championship equates to failure, especially when considering the high expectations and the competitive landscape of the NBA.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Golden State Warriors

The Golden State Warriors are a professional basketball team based in San Francisco that is central to the discussion in the script. They are noted for their recent championship success, but the conversation revolves around their current performance and the potential changes needed for the team to remain competitive. The Warriors' performance, including missing the playoffs three times in five years, is a significant theme in the video.

💡Stephen Curry

Stephen Curry is a key player for the Golden State Warriors and is recognized as a superstar in the sport of basketball. His performance, including his shooting statistics and points scored, is highlighted in the script as still being at a high level, but it's suggested that it may not be enough to carry the team to victory against stronger opponents.

💡Klay Thompson

Klay Thompson is another prominent player for the Golden State Warriors. The script discusses his upcoming free agency and acknowledges a perceived decline in his performance, which is a point of concern for the team's future success. His potential pay cut and the impact on the team's salary cap are also mentioned.

💡Playoffs

The term 'playoffs' refers to the postseason tournament in the NBA where teams compete for the championship. The Warriors' failure to make the playoffs is a significant point of discussion, with the script suggesting that this is a failure given the team's expectations and the investment made in the roster.

💡Luxury Tax

The luxury tax in the context of the NBA is a financial penalty for teams that exceed a certain salary cap threshold. The script mentions the Warriors' need to get under the luxury tax threshold, which could potentially lead to roster changes or salary adjustments.

💡

💡Andrew Wiggins

Andrew Wiggins is a player for the Golden State Warriors whose inconsistency is critiqued in the script. His performance is contrasted with the team's needs, and there is a suggestion that his contributions may not be enough for the Warriors to remain competitive in the Western Conference.

💡Western Conference

The Western Conference is one of the three divisions in the NBA and is highlighted in the script as being particularly competitive. The Warriors' ability to compete within this conference is a central theme, with the discussion noting the rise of other teams and the challenge they pose to the Warriors.

💡Chris Paul

Chris Paul is mentioned in the context of his non-guaranteed contract and the potential for the Warriors to use his contract as a means to free up salary cap space. His inclusion in the script illustrates the strategic financial decisions that NBA teams must make to remain competitive.

💡Draymond Green

Draymond Green is a significant player for the Golden State Warriors, known for his defensive prowess and versatility. The script discusses the impact of his suspension on the team's performance and the need for him to avoid such incidents to improve the team's chances.

💡Youth Movement

The 'youth movement' refers to the incorporation of younger players into the team with the expectation that they will develop and contribute to the team's success in the future. The script notes the Warriors' young talent and discusses the potential for growth among these players.

💡Free Agency

Free agency in the NBA is a period when players, who are not under contract, are free to sign with any team. Klay Thompson's approaching free agency is a topic in the script, with implications for the Warriors' roster and financial flexibility.

Highlights

Stephen A expresses that the Golden State Warriors may be at the end of their current era due to missing the playoffs for the third time in five years.

Stephen A acknowledges Steph Curry's continued superstar status despite a relatively pedestrian performance in a recent game.

Klay Thompson is approaching free agency, and there's a suggestion that he may not be the player he once was, with some teams still interested in his services.

The Warriors' record against the top six teams this year was 4 and 19, which is deemed unacceptable by Stephen A.

Andrew Wiggins is noted for his inconsistency and occasional lack of performance, despite his potential.

Stephen A predicts that changes are coming for the Warriors, as their current construction seems to be inadequate for competing in the Western Conference.

The Warriors' financial situation is discussed, with the team being a $400 million entity and needing to get under the luxury tax.

Stephen A suggests possible roster moves to improve the team's financial situation, including a potential pay cut for Klay Thompson.

The Warriors' season is characterized as a failure for not making the postseason, despite improvements over the previous year.

The growth potential of the Warriors' young players is acknowledged, but doubts are expressed about their ability to reach the team's previous heights.

The competition in the Western Conference is highlighted as having increased, potentially leaving the Warriors behind.

Stephen A argues that the Warriors' failure to make the playoffs is a significant setback, despite a better win record than the previous season.

The possibility of the Warriors making significant changes to their roster to improve is discussed, but doubts are expressed about this direction.

The potential for the Warriors to focus on improving around the edges with their current roster is mentioned as a more likely scenario.

Stephen A emphasizes that in the NBA, for a team with the Warriors' aspirations, not making the playoffs equates to a failed season.

The Houston Rockets are cited as a success story in contrast to the Warriors' season, highlighting the nuance in evaluating team performance.

The discussion touches on the Warriors' potential future without major roster changes, suggesting that their chances of winning another NBA Championship are slim.

Transcripts

00:00

Stephen A do you feel like this is the

00:02

end of the Warriors as we know them yes

00:06

it has to be um you know major props and

00:09

an incredible level of gratitude needs

00:12

to be given to them to what for what

00:14

they've meant to the game of basketball

00:16

Steph Curry is still a superstar make no

00:18

mistake about it um relatively

00:20

pedestrian performance last night hit

00:22

50% of his shots uh from the field went

00:25

three to seven from three-point range

00:26

only finished with 22 points you were

00:28

going to need more than that to beat the

00:30

Sacramento Kings last night Klay

00:31

Thompson obviously approaching free

00:34

agency um I think it was um I I don't

00:37

want to call it poetic because uh I

00:39

certainly don't want to sit up there and

00:41

and TR try to imply anything negative of

00:43

this four-time champion and one of the

00:44

greatest Shooters we have ever seen But

00:47

there is no doubt that he has fallen off

00:48

to some degree I still think a boatload

00:51

of teams in the NBA could use his

00:53

Services um he ain't going anywh he's

00:55

not going to retire but is he what he

00:58

used to be the answer to that question

01:00

question is no um when you look at the

01:02

Golden State Warriors we have to think

01:03

from an overview perspective Wendy and

01:05

doggy this is the third time in five

01:08

years they've missed the playoffs the

01:10

third time in five years now I know Joe

01:13

Lake up and Peter goober a little bit

01:15

and I can tell you something about Joe

01:17

lob Ain't Gonna Stand still I promise

01:19

you that I haven't spoken to him in a

01:21

while but I'm telling you I know this

01:23

man well enough to tell you he is not

01:25

going to stand still um and just let

01:28

these Twilight years of Steph Curry's

01:30

career Fade Into Oblivion like this this

01:32

is the third time in 5 years the Golden

01:35

State Warriors have missed the playoffs

01:38

I understand they got a championship

01:40

recently but it's still three times in

01:41

five years you've missed the playoffs

01:43

and by the way against the top six teams

01:46

this year their record is 4 and 19 if I

01:49

remember correctly 4 and 19 that's

01:51

unacceptable that's unacceptable and so

01:53

sometimes in life listen business will

01:56

be the first to tell us you got to see

01:57

the forest from the trees you got to you

02:00

got to read the tea leaves you got to

02:01

see what's coming down the pike well

02:03

this has been coming down for quite a

02:04

long time you got a guy on Andrew

02:06

Wiggins that you know when he's there

02:08

and he's and he's vibrant he can do some

02:11

big time things far more often than not

02:13

he's inconsistent or dare I say an

02:16

absolute positive noshow family issues

02:18

and things of that nature I get it but

02:20

at the end of the day whole bunch of

02:22

folks in this country and throughout

02:23

this world got issues they still show up

02:25

to work sometimes he does sometimes he

02:27

doesn't and so we look at it from that

02:29

perspective we look at it from Klay

02:30

Thompson's perspective we look at the

02:32

youth movement that they have and you've

02:33

got some talent but clearly when you

02:36

look at the rest of the West as Wendy

02:37

alluded to yesterday there's a whole

02:40

bunch of talent throughout the Western

02:42

Conference and people seem to more

02:45

competition seems to have elevated to

02:48

the point where the Golden State

02:49

Warriors are on the verge of being left

02:53

behind Joe Lup is not going to stand for

02:56

that I can promise you that there's no

03:00

way that this is going to stand Pat the

03:02

end of The Warriors as we know it this

03:04

isn't the end of The Warriors because

03:06

they still got Steph Curry but as we

03:08

know it as we see them presently

03:10

constructed it's a wrap trust me on this

03:14

change is coming yeah so it's

03:16

interesting you brought up about how

03:17

clay has receded there's no doubt about

03:19

that he wasn't a $43 million max player

03:22

in terms of production this year which

03:23

is why he's going to take a pay cut

03:25

probably in Golden State but maybe

03:27

elsewhere what they had done when they

03:29

won their championship two years ago is

03:30

they'd gotten this incredible rise from

03:32

Andrew Wiggins he's receded himself so

03:36

the problem here is is that even though

03:38

Steph Curry is still playing at all NBA

03:39

level what you need to compete in the

03:41

Western Conference this high level of

03:43

assistant Talent just isn't there so so

03:46

if if it's not going to improve I don't

03:49

think with Wiggins and and clay maybe

03:51

they can get more back to where they

03:52

were but I don't think you can bet on

03:54

that so the question really becomes guys

03:57

what does the ownership do because one

03:59

of the things that is that is an issue

04:01

here this is a $400 million team $380

04:04

million when you include the taxes what

04:07

Joe Lup has said on the record is that

04:09

they need to get under the luxury tax

04:11

and not just because they tired of

04:12

spending money although I wouldn't blame

04:14

them if they were if they had a team

04:16

that they spent this much money on that

04:18

didn't even make the playoffs I would

04:20

understand why they wouldn't want to run

04:21

that back but doing what they need to do

04:24

to get under the tax which is very

04:25

doable by the way you have a non-g

04:27

guaranteed contract on Chris Paul for 30

04:29

1 million you just say thank you and

04:31

goodbye you get Klay Thompson to take a

04:33

pretty big pay cut I mean in all honesty

04:35

he should come down at least 20 million

04:37

is you can you can negotiate that right

04:40

there that's $50 million right there

04:42

that puts you in a whole different

04:42

Stratosphere and you open up some other

04:44

options but if you're talking about not

04:46

standing Pat stepen a the only way to

04:49

really bring in major Talent with where

04:52

they're at right now is to keep that

04:54

Chris Paul contract add the young

04:57

players that you've got and a couple of

04:58

future draft picks that you've got and

05:00

go out into the marketplace star hunting

05:02

and I'm just not sure that that's where

05:04

this team is going to go I think what

05:06

they're more likely to do is to say hey

05:09

we finished the season 27- 12 when

05:12

Draymond played this year we were 33 and

05:14

22 when he didn't play we were under 500

05:17

in those 20 games with the suspension

05:19

and the return from that if we get

05:21

Draymond to not get suspended for 20

05:23

games next year and we you know can

05:26

improve around the edges we can still be

05:27

competitive I think that's more likely

05:29

as opposed to them going hunting in the

05:31

market but I have to acknowledge that

05:33

that is still possible if they're

05:34

willing to

05:36

spend uh real quick would you

05:38

characterize this season as a failure

05:40

for the Warriors I wouldn't and I know

05:42

that that really fired up Stephen A and

05:45

Shannon yesterday here's the thing let

05:47

me just ask you this question really

05:49

basic was this season or last season

05:52

better for the

05:53

Warriors I didn't hear your question Jo

05:55

uh uh Wendy because the producer was in

05:57

my ear could you ask that again please

05:58

what what what where the Warriors better

06:00

this season or last

06:01

season they were better this season

06:03

especially on the road that's right they

06:05

were a better team this season they won

06:07

more games despite the Draymond

06:11

situation than they did last season now

06:13

now you would say well how could it how

06:15

could you possibly say that because

06:17

they're home they didn't even make the

06:18

playoffs last year they made the second

06:19

round and you know went out in that

06:21

tough Series against LeBron MH but they

06:24

were a better team this year they

06:25

actually were their their numbers were

06:27

better they had more wins the

06:29

circumstances with the suspension and

06:31

the strength of the West pulled them

06:33

back but that but but the idea that

06:35

they're withering I don't they're

06:37

withering compared to where they were in

06:39

22 when they won they're withering with

06:42

where they were in 2018 I'll agree with

06:44

you there but this team actually is

06:47

growing they had four young guys 22 23

06:51

old and younger who play key roles on

06:53

this team none of them are going to be

06:55

Hall of Famers I don't think none of

06:56

them are going Steph none of them are

06:58

going to be number two on a champ ship

07:00

team those guys should get better like I

07:03

know that we're today it's very it's

07:04

very comfortable just to say well it's

07:06

over but this team still has growth

07:09

potential just not to where they were in

07:11

18 no no no see see see see that's you

07:15

being the astute NBA analyst who by the

07:19

way is also an incredibly nice guy

07:21

America an incredibly nice guy you say

07:24

I'm a little bit more harsh than you

07:27

it's about the competition

07:30

so I get what you're saying about them

07:33

but you can't in the same breath sit on

07:36

National Television like you did

07:38

yesterday with me and Shannon talking

07:40

about the parity that exists within the

07:43

Western Conference looking at Phoenix

07:45

looking at Dallas looking at the

07:47

Clippers looking at Sacramento I'm sorry

07:50

yeah Sacramento still the mix looking at

07:52

Minnesota and and Oklahoma City along

07:54

with Denver and just literally all of a

07:57

sudden a day later judge the Golden

07:59

State Warriors in the vacuum I know

08:01

they've gotten better but in the end who

08:03

are you going against and how much

08:05

better will they get how much better has

08:08

the competition gotten that's where we

08:11

are with this and by the way let me be

08:13

very clear to the Golden State Warriors

08:15

The Season's a failure The Season's a

08:18

failure because you didn't make the

08:21

postseason I understand you got better I

08:23

say you look better than you did last

08:25

year 46 and 36 10 games over 500 ain't

08:28

nothing to sneeze at you were

08:29

considerably better on the road this

08:31

year than you were last year I get all

08:32

of that you're home when the playoffs

08:36

begin this weekend that is the

08:39

definition of failure in the National

08:42

Basketball Association for a playoff

08:45

Contender now if you stink and you're

08:48

one of the you're in purgatory and then

08:51

you improve that's different but when

08:53

the expectation is postseason and you

08:56

don't make it you have failed

09:00

the Warriors are not that's it it's over

09:03

Curry's old Thompson's not as good as he

09:05

was Green's old they got no draft

09:07

Capital they they're not going to be

09:09

able to bring a free agent you can tell

09:10

me more about that than I know so as a

09:13

result we're and the OKC's good

09:15

Minnesota's not going anywhere Houston's

09:17

going to get better San Antonio

09:19

eventually win some games I mean you

09:21

certainly got Denver I mean so there's a

09:23

lot of good teams so from that

09:25

standpoint it's finished for Golden

09:27

State they're now winning another NBA

09:29

step Curry unless it gets traded he is

09:31

not winning another NBA Championship in

09:34

San Francisco and go one step further

09:36

he's not playing in a conference final

09:38

and he's great we all know it he's it's

09:40

it's over he is not ever going to play

09:43

again in a Conference Final in the west

09:44

I'll make that by the way you brought

09:46

you bringing up your scenario for a team

09:49

that did not make the playoffs you want

09:51

me to tell you who's a success story

09:53

thus far this year who's that the

09:55

Houston Rockets I agree with that I

09:58

agree with that that's a success

10:00

you see on the where they were to where

10:03

they are successful season I Stephen A

10:07

what you're talking about there is

10:08

Nuance you can because you can look at

10:11

the Rockets with nuance and

10:12

understanding and say they did a great

10:14

job this year you can look at the

10:16

Warriors and say they achieved this year

10:19

but it didn't work out because of these

10:21

four things it's not you win the title

10:23

or you're

10:24

awful sometimes you can have a

10:27

successful season and things don't go

10:28

your way the difference between the

10:30

number two team in the west which is

10:33

whoever you want under Denver and the

10:35

number 10 team is negligible but Wendy

10:37

anybody in this Western Conference other

10:39

than whoever than than than the Lakers

10:41

in Denver anybody wins to me there's no

10:44

such thing as an upset other than the

10:45

Lakers there's no upset all those teams

10:48

are the same and the Warriors this year

10:50

10th ever ever ever on air I've never

10:54

insulted you in all the years I've known

10:55

you because I love you to death I've

10:57

never insulted you one time Wendy I'm

10:59

going to I'm going to do that right now

11:02

you just imitated some damn troll on

11:06

Twitter I never said you win a

11:08

championship or you're a failure I

11:10

didn't say that that's right you see how

11:12

you twisted that I didn't say that those

11:14

words never came modern NBA fandom

11:16

unfortunately operates all the time all

11:18

right I'm just saying but Moder day NBA

11:20

fandom ain't this they ain't me and you

11:23

talking on first tank you understand

11:24

what I'm saying this is this is this is

11:26

who we are I'm saying to you the Golden

11:30

State Warriors the expectation was

11:33

playoffs if the expectation is playoffs

11:36

and you don't make it you have failed I

11:38

didn't say Championship I said if you

11:41

missed the playoffs and you're the

11:44

Warriors you have failed now the reasons

11:48

why could be the reasons why you can

11:49

bring up Draymond you can bring up Clay

11:52

I can bring up Andrew Wiggins if the man

11:54

had done something consistently I think

11:56

they would have been there I love kaming

11:58

and pinski growth no doubt about it I

12:01

like Moody a lot I see the young I see

12:03

the Young Dudes I get it but the

12:06

expectation with a superstar who's

12:08

playing like a superstar is to at least

12:11

make the playoffs not the Conference

12:13

Finals not the finals not wi the

12:15

championship just make the playoffs

12:17

especially when you got 10 teams that

12:20

got a chance because of the playin and

12:23

they didn't do

12:24

it period And if Draymond didn't get

12:27

suspended they probably do and they're

12:29

down one but he always gets suspended

12:32

that's you can't say if he does and he

12:34

always does because he's also played

12:35

great in finals and been a big factor

12:38

that's the thing that's age that's why

12:40

we go through this whole thing that's

12:41

why there's 30 teams not two yep

12:47

[Music]