The Golden State Warriors no longer have the same star power that led them to four championships over the last decade, and the offseason wasn’t as successful as they might have hoped.

 

SALT LAKE CITY, UT - OCTOBER 25: Draymond Green #23 and Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors high five during the game on October 25, 2024 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Melissa Majchrzak/NBAE via Getty Images)

 

Still, Draymond Green believes a championship is always in reach if he and Stephen Curry are both healthy.

“As long as we’re on the floor, we got a chance,” Green said, per ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk. “Once you get in them playoffs, you watch [opposing] guys fold every day and forget to play basketball. You see that often.

“All we need is a chance.”

This summer, veteran sharpshooter Klay Thompson left the Warriors to join the Dallas Mavericks. Golden State missed out on some of the big-name targets like Paul George, who signed with the Philadelphia 76ers, and Lauri Markkanen, who signed an extension with the Utah Jazz.

Though it didn’t add any All-Stars to its roster, Golden State reloaded with a handful of solid role players. The Warriors landed Kyle Anderson from the Minnesota Timberwolves and Buddy Hield from the Sixers in a six-team trade. They also picked up guard De’Anthony Melton in free agency.

Hield has been outstanding thus far, averaging 19 points, five boards and three assists per game while shooting a scorching hot 52 percent from deep. The Warriors likely didn’t expect Hield to completely replace Thompson, but one might argue he has done that so far.

Melton and Anderson haven’t been quite as good as Hield but have both given Golden State some solid defense off the bench.

The addition of Hield, Melton and Anderson pairs with a Warriors core that features second-year player Brandin Podziemski, Moses Moody and Jonathan Kuminga, all players the Warriors were able to retain by not trading for Markkanen this offseason.

It’s still early in the season, but the Warriors are 2-1 and clearly capable of holding their own in the West. Tuesday’s matchup with the New Orleans Pelicans will put that to the test as they will be without Curry, who will miss at least two games with an ankle injury.