Rachel Nichols: Breaking down Boogie Cousins' defense: Is it a problem for Warriors?

When Boogie becomes unplayable in the playoffs because of his defense, he is going to blow up the locker room.

 

Does a chicken Bogut?

 

I think Durant's comment about "top to bottom including the coach" is the clue that the Era is almost over

 

The Aussie addition

 

Hopefully they wont win this year just so cousins doesn't get a ring.

 

Does anyone else surmise that bringing in Bogut to slurp up some of Cousins' minutes might create even more drama for the team/organization?

 

We are going to dismantle the Warrior empire

 

Boogie was always a high risk high reward signing for GSW. Now that they have Bogut back it wouldn't surprise me one bit if Boogie never plays significant minutes in the playoffs. It's not as if they need his offense in order to win.

 

The GSW won 73 games with Steph/Klay/Dray

They didn't win the Finals because of DMo's sweat (his greatest NBA contribution over 5 yeras), Draymond's propensity to kick people in the nuts, and a Bogut injury... which is noteworthy... depth is important.

But in many ways I bet at least Steph and Klay would be happy to go back to that trio ...

IF Bob Myers can perform. Because it'll be much harder to add pieces when there's no cap space or assets to move.... For example, more of an issue than Boogie and KD leaving would be the fact that Iggy will be 36, Livingston 34

 

The Warriors definitely maximized their window of opportunity that's for damn sure.

For 2019/2020, Curry will make $40 million, Green will make $18 million on the last year of his contract, Iggy will make $17 million on the last year of his contract, Livingston about $7 million on the last year of his contract. That's roughly $82 million in committed salaries without factoring in Klay's cap hold and whether or not Durant wants to come back. Assuming Klay re-signs, would it be possible for Myers to use Green and Iggy's expiring contracts ($35 million total) to go grab a good player on a bad contract like, say, Blake Griffin, Otto Porter, or Gordon Hayward to assemble a new pseudo-Big 3 just to keep the Warriors competitive until Curry's deal runs out after 2021-2022? They're opening a new arena and getting those ticket sales for the first few years (e.g. until the end of Curry's deal in 2022) is critical I would think.

 

Would any of Blake, Otto or Gordon be a better third than Draymond?

I mean I get he's been "down" offensively. But he's still pretty important defensively and as the energy guy in the locker room.

Obviously it would be tough, but Steph, Klay, Dray, Looney, veterans, and using an exception wisely... GSW would still be a good bet to win... IMO

 

I think Green's eventual decline and insistence on getting max money would be the reasons why GSW would move on from him. If KD leaves this summer their chance to win another championship moving forward is effectively gone. The best thing to do is to just make sure you keep butts in the seats at home games and you can do that just by making the playoffs.

 

Can’t play Boogie.

 

I’m not sure I agree with your last point but I understand the comment about Green and max money.

But can’t see them then saying let’s gonahead and move that for Blake or Otto Oorter types.

Not that I know what they could get... but again, it comes down to Bob Myers.

I’m personally in the camp that Steph primarily but combined with Klayband Kerr’s offense is what makes it go. I actually don’t think KD matters a ton... except for protection against injury and depth.

I know it sounds crazy ... but I strongly believe but for that Steph injury and Draymknd ejection the Warriors are gunning for their fifth straight ring right now non of which include KD.

Because I think Myers makes other moves that are equally good fits.

When GSW fans say what if we had Iggy all series against the Rockets... of course some of that is dumb... but there’s truth to it of course also. Iggy is potentiallynthat super important glue piece. At least to me in the sense that losing him/him being older and not that valuable anymore is as big a loss as losing KD would be (caveat that KD would be replaced with some halfway decent 3&D type guy...)

 

The Warriors don't beat the Rockets last year without KD.

The Warriors likely don't get past the Rockets this season without KD.

 

I agree with you that the 3-1 collapse was due more to injuries and Draymond's nutpunch/suspension than anything else but I also believe, in retrospect, the Warriors needed Durant moreso than the other way around. He definitely tipped the scales for the Warriors in 2016-2017 against Cleveland and again last year against us in the WCF where he averaged like 30 ppg in the series.

Which piece would be a bigger loss to the Warriors among Green, Iggy, or Durant? It's easy to say Durant but factoring ALL things right now (injuries, age, production) I believe the answer is still KD. Of course if you were to adjust and ask the same question, factoring each players' primes I would definitely have KD last.