It’s easy to forget that the Golden State Warriors won a championship as recently as 2022. A tough loss to the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round of the Western Conference playoffs this past season quickly put any memories of Golden State’s recent success to the back of people’s minds.
However, the Warriors are only one year removed from their last banner and have been making moves to improve their roster over the summer. Yet, former NBA champion Kendrick Perkins isn’t sold on the Warriors’ credentials as potential contenders in the upcoming season, as he detailed in a July 14 episode of ESPN’s First Take.
.@KendrickPerkins is giving the Warriors a ONE PERKCENTAGE chance to get to the finals 👀
"Read my lips, I give them a one percent chance and it's not because of the addition of Chris Paul." pic.twitter.com/naxZFfneIC
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) July 14, 2023
“I give them a 1% chance. 1% chance,” Perkins said. “But it’s four teams in the Western Conference that I have ahead of them. The Denver Nuggets, the Los Angeles Lakers, Sacramento Kings, and the Phoenix Suns in no particular order. That’s why I give them a one [percent] chance.”
Since the offseason began, the Warriors have added multiple veterans to their roster, making moves that align their rotation with another push at a championship. The Western Conference has always been known for its competitiveness and depth, so the presence of Nikola Jokic, LeBron James, et al. shouldn’t be the only reason Golden State is being counted out moving forward.
After all, those same obstacles were in the way in 2022, and that didn’t stop Golden State from achieving its goals. Perkins may be right – the Warriors aren’t a young team anymore – yet their roster is littered with leaders and serial winners. Perkins has given Golden State another reason to play with purpose next season, but only time will tell if they can prove him wrong.
