The Golden State Warriors are an interesting case. On one hand, they have a good amount of young guys that are still developing their games. On the other, they have the final remnants of their dynasty still trying to run it back one last time. It will be important for them this season to find a happy medium, where they can foster these young players, while at the same time not wasting the talent they have today. Some of these young talented guys have to make jumps this season if the Warriors want to make noise in the playoffs, and these three guys are who I think are most likely to do so.
The jump that will be the most important for the Warriors this season will be made by Jordan Poole. Poole showed what he could do last season, as he averaged 12 points in a limited role. The Warriors offense flowed extremely heavily through Steph Curry, which limited the output of the rest of the team. Now, this was the best strategy for the team to succeed, but this year they will need a new tactic if they want to make a run in the playoffs. That will include trusting guys such as Poole to be legitimate options in the offense on a regular basis. Poole needs to improve his efficiency and playmaking to ensure that he makes a positive impact for the team. I for one think that Poole will be the third scoring option for this team once Klay returns, and on some nights you will see him go off for big numbers. Be prepared for Poole to play a major role on this Warriors team, and if they do end up making a run in the playoffs, he is likely going to be the x-factor for this team.
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A guy who absolutely needs to take a jump this season is James Wiseman. Wiseman was the second overall pick in 2020 for the Warriors, the pick they got after that storied tanking season when all their stars were hurt. They chose him as their big man of the future, the one position the Warriors have notably struggled to fill over the course of their dynasty. It was perfect, in just a couple of seasons Steph and Klay will be back, and Wiseman will be ready to join them for the dynasty's second stint. Well, the only thing we are waiting on now is Wiseman to make the jump that will set the stage for this Warriors fantasy to become a reality. Last year, in his rookie season, he put up 11.5ppg and 5.4trb a game. These numbers were alright, but were not anything special, as they were from a relatively small sample size. Wiseman dealt with injuries last season, and in April got surgery for a torn meniscus. He is supposed to be playing within a couple of weeks, and what the Warriors need most from him is to stay healthy and continue his development. I personally have always been high on Wiseman, and think that he will likely make a jump as early as this season.
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The third spot for this was pretty difficult to decide on. I like to include young players on these lists, but the rest of the Warriors roster is pretty old. Even their "young" guys are in their late twenties, such as Juan Toscano-Anderson and Damion Lee. So, I decided to go with a guy that, while he is also in his late twenties, has a jump in him somewhere. That guy is Otto Porter Jr. Porter has bounced around several teams in his NBA career, always being decent, but never seeming comfortable with his role or team. However, where better than Golden State to finally get your feet under you. Golden State is a notably great development franchise, and maybe Porter needs just that, some late-career development. His defense will be incredibly important for this Warriors team, that sometimes struggles on that side of the floor. His spot up shooting also fits the Warriors philosophy, and you will likely see him posted up in the corner for a lot of games. Because of these variables that seemingly fit perfectly with what Golden State does, don't be shocked if Porter has a career year this season with the Warriors.
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