Is it time for the Golden State Warriors to tank?

After finishing 10th in the Western Conference and falling to the Sacramento Kings in last year’s play-in tournament, Warriors owner Joe Lacob clarified that tanking is not an option.

“I don’t ever want to be not trying or be bad,” he recently stated. “We’re trying to win. I think people — I hope — understand that we, as a group who bought this team 15 years ago, have tried to be competitive as much as we can.”

No one can question Lacob’s commitment to winning after guiding the Warriors to four championships. But is there a realistic path to another title with this current roster? Or is Golden State trapped in the NBA’s dreaded no-man’s-land?

Despite facing challenges last season, many Warriors fans remain confident about the team's championship potential in 2024-25. This optimism is partly fueled by the fact that, even with Draymond Green missing nearly a third of the season due to suspensions , Golden State finished three games behind the sixth-seeded Phoenix Suns. The Warriors' struggles without Green were evident, as they went 13-14 in his absence, with opposing teams often wracking up points against them.

Golden State still has one of the greatest players of all time, Stephen Curry, whose ability to warp defenses keeps its offense dangerous. Jonathan Kuminga showed promising growth last season, averaging 20.6 PPG and 5.8 RPG as a starter in January while hitting 40.0% from beyond the arc. Additionally, rookie Brandin Podziemski was a pleasant surprise, shooting a solid 38.5% from three, playing rugged perimeter defense and doing all the little things it takes to win games.

However, this rotation is light on reliable scoring threats. Klay Thompson is now on the Mavericks. Although inconsistent, he was the Warriors’ second-leading scorer last season at 17.9 PPG . Andrew Wiggins saw a sharp drop in production in 2023-24, averaging just 13.2 PPG on 45.3% shooting. Meanwhile, Green contributed a modest 8.6 PPG and posted his lowest assist numbers (6.0 APG) since 2014-15. Kevon Looney, once an offensive rebounding machine, often looked lost and out of shape. While Podziemski had a solid campaign, he didn’t show the individual shotmaking or passing ability that significantly elevates the team’s scoring potential.

The Warriors front office brought in Buddy Hield via trade and signed journeyman De’Anthony Melton in free agency to replace Thompson and backup point guard Chris Paul, who signed with the Spurs. Although Hield and Melton are solid role players, neither can reliably create their own shot.

This leaves the 36-year-old Curry with the heaviest workload of any superstar in the league — tasked with scoring around 30 points per game, orchestrating the offense, and being Golden State’s top point-of-attack defender. Furthermore, the Warriors will need Kuminga to step up as their second scoring option, a tall order for a player who has yet to earn head coach Steve Kerr’s trust and hasn’t even secured a starting spot.

On the less glamorous side of the ball, the outlook is concerning. After ranking 18th in points allowed last season , the Warriors will miss two key perimeter stoppers, Paul and Thompson. Their replacements, Hield and Melton, are among the league’s weaker defenders. Meanwhile, former defensive stalwarts Looney and Wiggins appeared a step slower last year, and while Gary Payton II remains a lockdown wing, his offensive limitations make it challenging to keep him on the floor for extended stretches.

Golden State faces an uphill battle to contend next season. Green must avoid the suspensions that hampered the team last year. Kuminga needs a breakout campaign to improve his decision-making and outside stroke. Both Wiggins and Looney have to rediscover their prior form. Hield and Melton must prove they can contribute defensively, while Podziemski must develop into a reliable playmaker.

With so many “ifs” hanging over Golden State, its championship aspirations appear precarious. The Warriors front office might need to look hard at their roster and consider whether it’s time to pivot. Trading Wiggins and Green, their second and third highest-paid players, for expiring contracts would clear significant cap space and potentially yield a high draft pick in the 2025 lottery. This could provide the necessary influx of young talent and the flexibility to acquire one or two impact athletes next summer to retool for a stronger title push in the coming seasons.