The Golden State Warriors head into the 2024 off-season with an unsolved mystery. Throughout the postseason, rumors about Klay Thompson’s exit from the Dubs fold loomed over the NBA world. In the same vein, the shooting guard also spiced it up by unfollowing the Dubs’ social media. Now that the team enters into a fresh phase, this dilemma of not disrupting the core could hamper Stephen Curry & Co.’s shot at their 5th title, as per 95.7 The Game podcast host, Mark Willard.

The ardent follower of the Warriors dropped a concerning statement about the Dubs’ run. He said, “This season sucked so bad. It feels like I haven’t seen the Warriors play in 4 years…I don’t want this to happen again…” Willard further compared the Dubs’ state with how the Celts managed to cruise through the postseason without Kristaps Porzingis for the majority of the season.

He added, “If you are one player getting one suspension away from no longer being a good team, that to me says you’re not a good team.” The team barely managed to even stay afloat in the top-10 seed. Willard then pointed out the lack of depth around an aging core. “Who just gets all of their guys all the time? That doesn’t work for me. If you stay the same, you get worse. I’ve always believed that,” he concluded.

While Steph alongside Jonathan Kuminga and the two rookies, Trayce Jackson-Davis and Brandin Podziemski showed promising signs, the rest of the side couldn’t step up. Vets like Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, and Draymond Green came out as the disappointing factors. Over the last few days, the hoops community witnessed too many reports about Thompson’s 0-10 FG in the elimination game and his refusal to sign the contract extension. Nevertheless, it wasn’t just about one game. China Klay had the worst performance in his last nine seasons.

On the other hand, Andrew Wiggins, who was considered the third-best player on the roster, in terms of points generation, had a meltdown. The 2014 #1 pick had his worst season ever, averaging 13.2 points. Additionally, Draymond Green had trouble showing up for the side. The star power forward faced two suspensions, leaving the Dubs with a 13-14 record without him. As Mark Willard pointed out, if the Dubs don’t make the necessary changes before the 2024-25 season, the team might have a similar fate.

Will Klay Thompson’s departure be a boon or a bane?

Until the postseason, the NBA world witnessed only rumors about Thompson. But Shams Charania made the latest concrete update about the star guard. He added, “For the first time in his career, really, Klay Thompson, I’m told, is open to all external options in free agency coming up. He intends to test free agency.” If that’s the case, GSW will have to look for a better alternative to match the offense and defensive abilities of Klay. Moreover, the Dubs may even have to look for two alternatives, considering Wiggins’ poor run.

Recently, the Chicago Bulls star, Alex Caruso, popped up as a strong contender to replace the sharpshooter. Caruso may fill the huge shoes of Thompson but he might most definitely add a different flavor to the Dubs’ attack.

On the other hand, the Dubs would find it hard to let go of Thompson. In the recently concluded season, Steve Kerr pushed Thompson to come off the bench, owing to his lean patch. But, he immediately impressed everyone, averaging 19.8 points in 14 games. If not for a spot in the starting lineup, Thompson could still be a valuable asset for the team from the bench. So, there isn’t any conclusive answer to the ‘boon-bane’ question. But, the star is indeed the missing piece for Steph’s 5th ring.

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, had to say about WNBA sensation Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, this video