Jeff Van Gundy dismisses notion that Golden State Warriors are going to enter crisis mode
The Golden State Warriors' title defense could already be in serious jeopardy after the altercation between Draymond Green and Jordan Poole. Some basketball experts predict that the dustup between the two will compromise the Warriors' title-retention attempt.
Former coach Jeff Van Gundy, on “The Lowe Post,” had a striking counter to that possible outcome:
“Their two best players, Curry and Thompson, are absolute rays of sunshine. Jordan Poole just got paid. Wiggins, he’s just a happy-go-lucky type. I don’t think it’s gonna have a negative impact.
"Plus, Green plays a game that’s easy to play with. It’s not like he’s taking a lot of shots, he’s a giver on the floor. He’s gonna defend and he’s gonna play terrific help defense and on offense. He’s gonna screen and he’s gonna pass."
JVG has seen *a lot*, so I really wanted his perspective on the Draymond-Poole incident. Plus we go deep on what happens to Draymond now after Poole/Wiggins deals, and his meaning to GSW's decade of dominance:
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Steph Curry said on record that how the Warriors handled the altercation will be very important. While speculations ran rampant, reports indicated that the two-time MVP was already hard at work behind the scenes.
The reigning NBA Finals MVP also made a special note that he never wants Draymond Green to lose his identity as a player. Curry publicly sent a message to Green about keeping his fiery edge and competitiveness.
Before Steph Curry’s statement about Green, he also shut down rumors that Jordan Poole’s attitude had changed
Klay Thompson opened up about the whole incident, too:
“Well, it’s in the past and it was very unfortunate. Ring night and time will heal all wounds. I love both of those guys. Jordan is like a little brother, Draymond is like a brother. I think we’re all ready to move past it."
Coming from other superstars and franchise players, those words may seem hollow and superficial. But from Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, everything seems to look right for the Golden State Warriors again.
Steph Curry and Klay Thompson will continue to lead the way for the Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors' offseason before the Draymond Green-Jordan Poole altercation was all about the development of their youngsters. James Wiseman, Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody are all expected to make significant leaps in their development.
The sustained greatness of Steph Curry and Klay Thompson was almost lost in the controversy and the emergence of young talent. Curry is building off of a great finals, while Thompson finally had the chance to participate in training camp and preseason after three years.
The entire league is expecting Curry to be elite again, while many are counting on Thompson to be better than last season. Thompson averaged 20.4 points in 32 games last season but was inconsistent.
He shot 42.9% from the field, his lowest since the 2012-13 season, when he hit only 42.2% of his shots. Thompson’s 38.5% clip from beyond the arc was also the worst of his career. The Golden State Warriors will be significantly more dangerous if Thompson regains his shooting touch.
Thompson, however, assured Dub Nation that the offseason was well spent getting ready for the next grind.
Klay Thompson: “I was in the gym like almost every day. I wasn’t just dancing on a boat. I was really working.” https://t.co/AgZk86DZJX
When it’s all said and done, the Golden State Warriors season will once again hinge on the iconic Splash brothers.