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Success in the NBA can be measured in different ways, and some of that undoubtedly starts with expectations. With that in mind, we bring back Jordan Ramirez (Warriors World) and Rich Twu (Let's Go Warriors) for the final part in our series ending edition of the Bloggers Roundtable.
On the court, did the Warriors meet, exceed or fall short of your expectations?
Jordan Ramirez | Warriors World | @JRAM_91
This team met my expectations, and only an ambitious owner and lofty fans will disagree. The talent at hand wasn't worthy of being in the same discussion as the Spurs, Thunder or even the Clippers, and there's nothing to be ashamed about with a 51-win season. They lost winnable games (especially at home) throughout the season, but I don't necessarily see the Warriors as world-beaters that should beat every inferior opponent, not yet anyways. They didn't advance to the second round like they did last season, but given the matchup and injuries, beating the Clippers this season would've been a heavy upset. For the Warriors not to fall into the same one-and-done situation next season, Joe Lacob will have to dig deep into his pockets for a quality coach and additional players. He's said in the past that he's willing to jump into the luxury tax, but we haven't seen it yet. With championship windows being limited (with exception of the Spurs), Lacob should focus on putting the most talent around Curry as possible as he enters his prime. He has his new arena coming, which he said he'll do, but now it's time to come through with his other promises. Nothing is guaranteed in the NBA, and making the smartest, most ambitious moves can prove to be the difference between a first-round exit and a Finals berth. This off-season will be the biggest of Lacobs' ownership to date.
Rich Twu | Let's Go Warriors | @poormanscommish
I found a website that tracks the most games lost to injury by team and the Warriors had the fourth-most total games lost to injury, easily the most for a playoff team. If you would've told me at the beginning of the season that the Warriors wouldn't get past the first round, my first guess would be because of injuries.
So, in a way, they fell short, but then again they were right on target, but then again, they exceeded expectations by adjusting to the loss of Bogut and taking the frontline-heavy Los Angeles Clippers to seven games.
I don't think you can always point to the bottom-line results. Many of today's elite teams in the NBA realize that winning is a constantly evolving equation.
Are the Warriors set up for success in the future?
Jordan Ramirez | Warriors World | @JRAM_91
The Warriors are absolutely set up for the future. Stephen Curry has recently signed a steal of an extension, Klay Thompson will receive an extension soon as well as Draymond Green. In addition, Andre Iguodala and Andrew Bogut are both under contract through 2017. David Lee, Harrison Barnes and the rest of the current team are up in the air as far as their time with the team goes, but the players that are imperative to this franchise's success are either already locked up or guaranteed to receive new extensions soon. Their next coaching hire will be extremely important, as hiring a first-time head coach would be a step backwards in my eyes. Joe Lacob and Bob Myers need to hire a veteran coach with playoff experience that can maximize the talent currently on the roster (and the talent they will acquire in the future). Their cap space and draft picks are scarce, so the possibility of acquiring another big-name player are limited. But, never doubt the mad genius that is Bob Myers, who once turned the impossible to trade behemoth contracts of Andris Biedrins and Richard Jefferson into Iguodala. It all starts with Curry, and his rise to superstardom this past season prove beneficial not just with his play, but an attraction to other players and coaches as well. The Warriors are now a prime destination.
Rich Twu | Let's Go Warriors | @poormanscommish
I think that coaching is, by and large, over-rated, so it really just comes down to the team, the roster, and the team's superstars and basically not screwing that up.
The Warriors have a solid foundation from which to continue to build from. It's highly unlikely this group right now doesn't make the playoffs, but management has just painted themselves in a corner in which not being a Top Four seed in the West will be a failure for 2014-15, with OR without injuries. Is that a setup for success? For failure? We'll see.
But ultimately, nine times out of ten, winning a championship requires a team to have three healthy potential future Hall Of Famers, if you just look at a list of NBA Finals winners.
My sense is that Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson could, in the distant future, be two of them. Who's the third?
If the Warriors don't upgrade their roster, it could be Andre Iguodala or even Andrew Bogut, if either picks up his game offensively (a lot!) in 2014-15. It could be via trade, in which many Warriors fans have clamored for Kevin Love. It could be via free agency, although with Jackson gone, you figure one leg-up that the Warriors had in terms of appeal for coming to Golden State, has now been lost.