2014-15 Golden State Warriors Preview

Oct 15, 2014 - 5:23 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - It's not often a team wins 51 games in the regular season and gets rid of its coach, but that's exactly what the Golden State Warriors did this offseason.

Mark Jackson was relieved of his duties with a year remaining on his contract despite taking the franchise to back-to-back postseasons for the first time since the early '90s.

Perhaps even more head-scratching than getting rid of a player's coach was the naming of Jackson's replacement, Steve Kerr. Kerr was brought in without having coached at any level and spent the last four years calling games for TNT.

Kerr does have championship pedigree, having won five titles as a player with the Bulls and Spurs, and the 49-year-old was the general manager of the Suns for three years before returning to the broadcast booth in 2010.

Still, he knows the core of the franchise must buy into his untested system after willingly absorbing Jackson's for three years.

"My whole goal over the summer was to get to know guys," said Kerr, who was also on Phil Jackson's short list as potential head coaches for the Knicks. "I didn't want to walk into training camp and say, 'Hi, I'm Steve.'"

Kerr's inheriting a borderline title contender even though they lost to the Clippers in the first round last season, this after taking the Spurs to six grueling games in the Western Conference semis the year before.

There is little turnover on the Warriors' roster, losing only bit parts while adding a few moderate upgrades on the bench. The offense revolves around the dynamic "Splash Brothers" in Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, arguably the best backcourt duo in the league and historically great perimeter threats.

Curry and Thompson were both members of the gold-medal winning FIBA World Cup team this summer and showed their worth as the Americans cruised through the tournament. Thompson, in particular, put to bed any notion of him being a one- dimensional player with a terrific defensive showing.

The tandem will try putting last season's Game 7 loss to the Clippers in the rearview mirror, a knockout that saw Curry make just three field goals in the second half and Thompson held scoreless in the fourth quarter.

How far they can take the Warriors in the playoffs remains to be see, and a new coach at the helm makes expectations in the Bay Area even murkier.

Curry, who voiced his displeasure with the front office's decision in ousting Jackson, is optimistic Kerr's approach will not veer too far from his predecessor's.

"Things are very similar. It's a new era, but we're relying on things we did well last year and not changing too much," Curry said after the first practice. "We're starting to get a good feel for how we're going to be."

What the star guard hopes is different is when his summer starts next year.

2013-14 Results: 51-31, 2nd in Pacific; lost in Western Conference first round to Clippers.

ADDITIONS: G Leandro Barbosa, G Shaun Livingston, G/F Brandon Rush, G Aaron Craft, G Justin Holiday, F James Michael McAdoo

PROJECTED STARTING FIVE:

PG- Stephen Curry SG- Klay Thompson SF- Andre Iguodala PF- David Lee C- Andrew Bogut

KEY RESERVES: F Harrison Barnes, G Leandro Barbosa, G Shaun Livingston, C Festus Ezeli, F Draymond Green, C/F Marreese Speights

FRONTCOURT: The Warriors' frontcourt features a pair of former All-Stars and the best passing big man in the game.

That said, the triumvirate of Andre Iguodala, David Lee and Andrew Bogut -- who will all be in their 30s by December -- underperformed last season.

Iguodala, Golden State's big-money addition last offseason, averaged his lowest point total (9.3) since his rookie year and was often the fifth best scoring option on the floor. As a plus-defender, the small forward is still very much in Kerr's plans in the near future.

"He's a really smart player. He has a good feel for the game," Kerr said of the 11-year veteran. "He guards multiple positions...so he's going to play a big role for us."

Lee's porous defense is well documented and sullies his peripheral numbers, which were nevertheless solid at 18.2 ppg and 9.3 rpg last season. The 31- year-old is a known commodity at this point -- a plus-rebounder who can not create his own shot and has trouble guarding both true power forwards and stretch 4s.

In April, Bogut's injury issues reared its ugly head when it mattered most, with the 7-footer suffering a fractured rib one week before the playoffs. His absence had a lot to do with the Clippers' effectiveness in the paint, since Bogut is one of the game's best rim protectors when he can stay on the floor.

The Australian played in 67 regular season games last season, his most since 2009-10, but has a history of nagging injuries that limit his long-term use.

BACKCOURT: Armed with the top two 3-point shooters in the league, it's hard denouncing Curry and Thompson as the league's preeminent backcourt tandem, especially considering they are no slouches at the other end of the floor.

Curry led the NBA with 261 makes from behind the arc last season while Thompson ranked second with 223 -- in other words 79 more combined 3s than the Memphis Grizzlies had the entire season.

Plagued with bad ankles, Curry has surprisingly played 78 games each of the past two seasons. He is coming off a sixth-place finish in the MVP race after complementing his no-limit range with a career-best 8.5 assists. The only real knock on the star point guard is his turnovers, which ballooned to nearly four per game (3.8) last season.

The Warriors were in the Love sweepstakes this offseason but balked at adding Thompson in any deal with the Timberwolves. Love clearly would have provided a much-needed boost in the frontcourt, but it's understandable for Golden State's front office to stick with a player who has gotten better each of his three years as a professional.

Thompson, still just 24 years old, averaged 18.4 points per game last season while connecting on 41.0 percent from long range.

BENCH: Harrison Barnes and Draymond Green are the first and second options off the pine, and both could be starters on half of the NBA rosters.

Barnes is yet another perimeter option who has shown glimpses of the athleticism that made him an elite prospect out of North Carolina, He disappears at times on offense but does not turn 23 until next May.

Green could very well prove to be the steal of the 2012 draft. The second- rounder can guard multiple positions and has a knack for getting under opponents' skin. He was plugged into the starting lineup in the Clippers series and averaged a respectable 11.9 points and 8.3 rebounds against LA's formidable frontcourt.

"I'm not all about scoring. I just want to make an impact on the floor," said Green, who lost weight in the offseason. "I figure out what I can bring to the table on a given night and get it done."

Veteran guards Leandro Barbosa and Shaun Livingston were both brought in through free agency, though the injury-riddled Livingston is already dealing with a toe injury that will cost him the first few weeks of the season.

The Warriors, who did not have a single draft pick in June, added undrafted free agents Aaron Craft, a guard from Ohio State, and forward James Michael McAdoo from North Carolina. They also added a pair of players who played overseas last year in guard Justin Holiday and forward Mitchell Watt.

None are expected to be difference makers, rather cost effective options for the financially strapped club, so look for a frontcourt addition either early in the season and at the trade deadline. The potential for a Jermaine O'Neal reunion is a possibility.

COACHING: Kerr is well respected for his basketball mind around the league, but no one can confidently predict how he'll fare on the sideline

He played for two of the most decorated coaches of all-time in Jackson and Gregg Popovich, so the thinking is he'll easily transition into the position.

A 3-point specialist as a player, he will need more than Curry and Thompson bombing away to be successful. Golden State's offense regressed last season while its 99.9 points allowed per 100 possessions ranked third in the league.

The Warriors are betting $22 million over five years Kerr can provide the difference for this talented group to finally make a long run in the postseason.

OUTLOOK: The Warriors will field the same starting five they had for most of last season, and in the ever-evolving landscape of the NBA, continuity is key.

A monkey wrench was thrown in with a coaching change, but Kerr does not seem like someone that will stir the pot. He'll hope to maintain what the Warriors do well -- defense, rebounding and 3-point shooting -- and improve on their weakness -- offensive versatility, too much isolation and getting to the foul line.

They can challenge the two-time Pacific champion Clippers for the division crown, but a trip to the conference finals will be a tough road for a limited and injury-prone bunch.