The Golden State Warriors had one of the most outstanding starting fives in the NBA last season but had very little help from their bench. The lack of competent reserves severely hurt the team, which prompted the front office to address the issue this offseason.
Reinforcements have arrived, but will they be enough?
The Warriors' issues started in the summer leading up to the 2013-14 NBA regular season, when Festus Ezeli was written off for the entire campaign before it even began. Jermaine O'Neal also got hurt early in the year, leaving a very thin frontcourt behind starting center Andrew Bogut.
To make matters worse, Harrison Barnes found himself in a new role off the bench, struggling to adjust, and failing to provide the expected sixth-man production.
The team eventually brought in Jordan Crawford and Steve Blake, adding much-needed ball-handlers behind Stephen Curry. Even with the positive additions and O'Neal's eventual return from injury, the Warriors' bench managed to improve only marginally, ranking 24th in scoring at the end of the year.
Perhaps one of the most ...
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Article written by Vytis Lasaitis