3 bold predictions for the 2024-25 NBA season

The

Golden State Warriors

reshuffled their supporting cast around

Stephen Curry

this offseason.

After 13 years with the franchise,

Klay Thompson

departed in free agency, signing a three-year, $50 million deal with the Dallas Mavericks.

The five-time All-Star had a difficult time reaching an agreement with the Warriors. In 2023, he turned down a two-year, $48 million extension, per The Athletic’s Zach Harper and Shams Charania.

After a tumultuous 2023-24 season, Thompson came back to the Warriors with a two-year, $40 million offer, per ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne and Kendra Andrews. This time, the Warriors were not interested.

Veteran

Chris Paul

was waived after one season to free up cap space. At age 39, CP3 is not at his All-NBA peak, but he was a valuable playmaker off the bench, averaging 6.8 assists per game.

The Warriors utilized their newfound flexibility to improve their depth. They signed sharpshooter

Buddy Hield

to a four-year, $37.8 million contract. Forward

Kyle Anderson

signed a three-year, $27 million deal, fresh off a successful campaign with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

De’Anthony Melton

will take over the backup point guard spot, signing a one-year, $12 million contract.

So, how will the new-look Warriors fare in the loaded Western Conference? Here are three bold predictions.

Buddy Hield will average 20+ PPG

There’s a new “Splash Buddy” in the Bay

Since 2016, here are the NBA’s leaders in three-point field goals made:

1. Stephen Curry – 2,154
2. Buddy Hield – 1,924

Now, Curry and Hield are teammates.

Hield has consistently knocked down a high volume of threes with elite efficiency. He is a career 40.0 percent three-point shooter.

Hield has tremendous range on his shot, as well. In college, he became well-known at Oklahoma for his deep, highlight threes. That has extended into his NBA career.

Hield does not get enough credit as a scorer, in general. He can score in a variety of ways, including finishing at the rim. Last season, he converted 58.1 percent of his field goal attempts within 10 feet of the basket.

In 2018-19, Hield averaged a career-high 20.7 points per game for the

Sacramento Kings

. From 2018 to 2023, he averaged 15+ points per game for five consecutive seasons.

Last year, he took on a more complementary role, averaging 12.1 points per game. He saw a decline in minutes, as the

Indiana Pacers

had a lot of depth. He was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers, where he was cast as a role player.

The Warriors will need Hield’s offense after losing Thompson. He can be a microwave scorer for them off-the-bench and potentially play the same role

Jordan Poole

had a couple of seasons ago.

Given the opportunity, Hield proved that he could be a 20+ point per game scorer in the past. Now, he will have the luxury of sharing the court with Curry.

Draymond Green will eventually be benched

The veteran will move to the second unit

Now, this is a bold prediction.

Last season, head coach Steve Kerr benched Thompson, in favor of

Brandin Podziemski

. Do not be surprised to see a similar situation with Green this season.

There is no way that Green does not begin the year in the starting lineup, but the frontcourt rotation will be very crowded.

Andrew Wiggins

,

Jonathan Kuminga

, and

Trayce Jackson-Davis

all have good cases to be starters.

Wiggins was an All-Star in 2022, and his 3-and-D skillset makes him a seamless fit in lineups. Kuminga was the seventh overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft. He is only 21 years old, coming off averaging a career-high 16.1 points and 4.8 rebounds. The Warriors need to continue to give him opportunities to develop.

Finally, Jackson-Davis started 16 games as a rookie last season, averaging 11.3 points and 7.6 rebounds. He is a more traditional center than Green.

Green’s unique combination of defense and playmaking still make him a valuable rotation piece for Kerr, but he could simply be a better fit off the bench.

The Warriors will win more games this season

Improved depth and internal development should lead to more wins

In 2023-24, the Warriors finished with a 46-36 record.

ESPN projects the Warriors to decline by one game this season, finishing with a 45-37 record.

That take is arguable, to say the least. On paper, the Warriors’ roster is better this season.

Their projected second unit consists of Melton, Hield, Anderson, Kuminga, and Jackson-Davis. That has the potential to legitimately be the best bench in the league.

Furthermore, young players such as Kuminga, Jackson-Davis, and Podziemski have had more time to develop. They should take leaps forward in their development this year.

Individually, Kuminga and Wiggins are wild cards with All-Star level upside.

The Warriors’ only major offseason loss was Thompson, who had a rough 2023-24 campaign. In fact, the Warriors were 4.5 points worse per 100 possessions with Thompson on the court last season, per Cleaning the Glass.

That ranked in the 29th percentile in the NBA and was the worst single-season mark of his career. So, it is hard to place too much stock in Thompson’s departure affecting the Warriors this season.

With all that in consideration, the Warriors should be able to win an additional game or two in 2024-25.

All statistics courtesy of Statmuse, NBA, Cleaning the Glass, and Basketball Reference.

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