Warriors Locking in Defensively?

The Golden State Warriors aren't a bad defensive team. They are middle-of-the-road, finishing 15th in defensive rating for the 2023-24 season. Mike Dunleavy Jr. talked to the media about what he expects from the Warriors this season regarding defensive results.

“We’ve got to get back to defending at a high level. We’ve got to be in the top five, six, seven in the league in defense, at least," Dunleavy said.

The elephant in the room is Draymond Green. If the four-time NBA champion didn't self-implode last season by playing only 55 games due to multiple suspensions from striking and choking opponents, the Warriors would have likely had a better defensive rating and possibly made the playoffs.

Moreover, Jonathan Kuminga is a below-average defender, despite having the most gifted athletic talent on the team.

For the Warriors to meet such a lofty mark, they'll need more consistency from Kuminga and Green to learn how to channel his negative energy into a defensive beam of power.

Andrew Wiggins had a rough last few seasons, dealing with his late father's sickness. It's difficult to envision where his head will be by the season's start. However, Wiggins' defensive efforts will push the Warriors to the next level as they did during the 2022 NBA championship season.

Related: Draymond Green Believes Chris Paul Will ‘Completely Unlock’ One Former Warriors’ First-Round Pick

Kuminga and Wiggins as both plus-defenders bodes well for the Warriors. However, asking and receiving are two different times. There are a lot of "what-ifs" when discussing this Warriors' roster.

Either Dunleavy is expecting unrealistic goals, or the Warriors are ready to dig deep on defense.