What The Golden State Warriors 2020-2021 Roster Looks Like Without Klay Thompson

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Brock Adams, Staff Writer

After a 2019-2020 season filled with injuries and an anti-climactic ending due to the pandemic, the Golden State Warriors looked to prove that their dynasty is far from over this 2020-2021 season. Although the lack of Kevin Durant hurt the Warrior’s strength when at full health, there was immense optimism about the starting lineup of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Andrew Wiggins. On November 18, 2020, the news broke that Klay Thompson suffered a lower leg injury in a workout. It was later reported that Thompson suffered a torn Achilles and would miss the entirety of the upcoming season. Thompson has yet to play since June 13, 2019, after suffering a torn ACL in game six of the 2019 NBA Finals in which the Warriors fell to the Toronto Raptors 114 to 110. The injury came as a shock to the entire NBA, and Thompson received positive encouragement and prayers for a full recovery from the professional sports community.

The Warrior’s front office wasted no time filling the absence of Klay Thompson as on November 22, the Warriors officially acquired Kelly Oubre Jr. from the Oklahoma City Thunder. Oubre spent the entire 2019-2020 season with the Pheonix Suns, where as a small forward he played 56 games, averaged 18.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game. The 6’ 7, left-handed shooter also shot 45.2% from the field and 35.2 from beyond the arch. Oubre’s size and style can complement the Warrior’s small-ball offense used by Steve Kerr to take the Warriors to the Finals in 2015 and 2016.

The warriors also selected 7’ 1 center James Wiseman as the 2nd overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft. Wiseman is a 19-year-old out of Memphis, where he played one season before declaring for the draft. Wiseman only played three games in college as he then received a 12 game suspension for his family, receiving over $11,000 from Memphis coach Penny Hardaway. Wiseman’s performance at the high school level labeled him the potential number one overall pick in the 2020 draft right as his season started. The Warriors will most likely need a big man if they hope to defend the Los Angeles Lakker’s, Anthony Davis. The Warriors will attempt to utilize him as best they can this season under the veteran leadership of Draymond Green and Steph Curry.

The lone splash brother, Stephen Curry, will have all eyes on him this coming season as he looks to be the focal point of this Golden State offense. Curry only played in only five games last season after suffering a broken left hand that caused nerve damage. After returning to the floor for one game against the Toronto Raptors, the season was soon postponed indefinitely due to the Corona Virus Pandemic.

There are many unanswered questions about this young Warriors team that we will better be able to begin to answer starting December 12, 2020, at 5:30 pm when the Warriors take on the Denver Nuggets in their first pre-season game.