Plus more Warriors news from around the web.
The Golden State Warriors have missed the NBA playoffs back-to-back years after making it to five-straight NBA Finals.
The Dubs captured three championships during that time, and three of their core players from those teams remain on the roster.
Hopefully, NBA scoring champion Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green will be healthy when the 2021-21 campaign begins. Thompson has missed the past two seasons due to injury, and the plan is to bring him along slowly as he gets set for his return to the court.
With the Big 3 back in the fold, oddsmakers are bullish on Golden State’s chances to return to the NBA’s upper echelon next season. Betonline.AG released its odds for the 2021-22 NBA championship and has the Dubs with the third-best odds. Here are the 10 teams with the best odds, according to Betonline.AG:
Brooklyn Nets (+275)
Los Angeles Lakers (+450)
Golden State Warriors (+900)
Los Angeles Clippers (+1000)
Milwaukee Bucks (+1000)
Phoenix Suns (+1200)
Philadelphia 76ers (+1400)
Utah Jazz (+1600)
Denver Nuggets (+2200)
Dallas Mavericks (+2500)
*If you placed a $100 bet on Golden State and it wins the title, you would get $900 in return.
These odds are likely being set in anticipation that the Dubs will make a big move to bolster the roster. General manager has a few assets at his disposal that he can use to try and acquire an established veteran.
Golden State owns the Nos. 7 and 14 picks in the 2021 NBA Draft and could package both lottery selections to make a deal. The Athletic’s John Hollinger reports that the Warriors are exploring trade options involving the picks and last year’s No. 2 overall selection James Wiseman.
We have heard rumblings that two All-Stars could be available this offseason. Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard is reportedly dissatisfied with the franchise. The Athletic’s Anthony Slater stated that Golden State has already held internal discussions about a potential trade package to acquire Lillard.
Meanwhile, a top Eastern Conference team could be looking to move on from a former No. 1 overall pick. Reports have surfaced that the Philadelphia 76ers are engaging teams in trade talks involving guard Ben Simmons.
Myers will need to add some more pieces for the Dubs to be a legitimate contender. Curry showed why he’s still one of the best players in the world last season, while Green rebounded from a tough 2020-21 campaign and displayed that he can still be a force at both ends of the floor.
Thompson’s health remains a wild-card, but given Klay’s skillset, Golden State is confident he will be close to the player he was prior to the serious back-to-back injuries. Golden State should look to add some veteran help to the bench, even with Jordan Poole emerging as a solid sixth-man.
The Nets have three studs on their roster, with former Warrior Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving leading the charge. The Lakers should have a healthy LeBron James and Anthony Davis back next season. But they’re facing some cap issues and are limited in their options to improve the roster around their two superstars.
Led by Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, the Clippers should be strong again next season. The Bucks and Suns are battling it out in this year’s NBA Finals and will likely be in the top four again in their respective conferences when the 2022 playoffs roll around.
Do you think the oddsmakers got it right? Which teams do you think are too high or too low on BetOnline.AG’s list?
On to some links:
Another asset the Dubs have is their $5.9 million exception. Monte Poole of NBC Bay Area looks at five players the Warriors should target in free agency.
How would former All-Star Kevin Love fit in Golden State if the Cleveland Cavaliers buy him out? Fansided’s Aharon Abhishek gives his thoughts on Love potentially joining the Warriors.
The Dubs will have plenty of options if they keep both of their lottery picks. NBC Bay Area’s Dalton Johnson says the Warriors will be working out a few prospects on Thursday.
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