As I look back at the Golden State Warriors' 2019 roster, I can't help but draw parallels to that fascinating volleyball story about how a nation learned to embrace men's volleyball after hosting the Volleyball Nations League for three years. Much like that 82nd-ranked team introducing itself to the world, the 2019 Warriors were about to reveal a new identity to the basketball world, though for entirely different reasons. Having followed the NBA for over fifteen years, I've rarely seen a championship-caliber team undergo such dramatic transformation in a single offseason.
The departure of Kevin Durant to Brooklyn marked the end of an era that had brought two championships to the Bay Area. I remember thinking at the time that this wasn't just another free agency move - it was seismic shift that would redefine the Warriors' identity. What made this particularly fascinating was how the team managed to secure D'Angelo Russell in a sign-and-trade, giving them what appeared to be a solid replacement. Russell was coming off an All-Star season where he averaged 21.1 points and 7 assists per game, numbers that suggested he could help fill the scoring void. But basketball isn't played on stat sheets, and I had my doubts about how his game would mesh with Stephen Curry's.
Speaking of Curry, this was supposed to be his moment to return to MVP form without sharing the spotlight. The 2019-20 season represented his first as the undisputed alpha since 2015, and I was genuinely excited to see what he could do with increased offensive responsibility. The supporting cast featured familiar faces like Draymond Green, who I've always believed is the team's defensive soul, and Klay Thompson, though we'd later learn he'd miss the entire season with that devastating ACL injury. The loss of Thompson was something I don't think anyone fully appreciated at the time - it wasn't just about missing his 20 points per game, but about losing the league's best two-way shooting guard.
The bench depth concerned me throughout training camp. While I appreciated the acquisition of Willie Cauley-Stein, who brought much-needed athleticism to the center position, the overall roster felt thinner than in previous years. The Warriors had built their dynasty on having quality depth that allowed them to withstand the regular season grind, but looking at this group, I worried about their ability to compete night in and night out. Young players like Eric Paschall showed promise, but asking rookies to contribute meaningful minutes on a team with championship aspirations is always risky.
What unfolded during the season only confirmed my initial concerns. The team finished with a 15-50 record, which still surprises me when I see it written down. Injuries played a significant role - Curry broke his hand in the fourth game and missed most of the season, which essentially ended any playoff hopes early. But even beyond the injuries, the roster construction issues became apparent. The defense ranked near the bottom of the league, giving up 115 points per game, and the chemistry between Russell and the remaining core never quite materialized.
The mid-season trade that sent Russell to Minnesota for Andrew Wiggins turned out to be one of the few bright spots, though its significance wouldn't become clear until later seasons. At the time, I thought it was a gamble worth taking - Wiggins had never lived up to his potential in Minnesota, but the Warriors' culture has historically been good at unlocking players' best versions of themselves.
Reflecting on that season now, I see it as a necessary transition period rather than a failure. Every great sports organization goes through cycles, and the 2019 Warriors roster served as the bridge between the championship dynasty and what would eventually become the next iteration of competitive Warriors basketball. Sometimes you need to take a step back to move forward, and in the grand scheme of things, that difficult season provided valuable development opportunities for younger players and allowed the organization to reset both financially and strategically. The Warriors' story that year reminds me that even the most successful teams must occasionally reintroduce themselves to the world, much like that volleyball team from the reference material, though under very different circumstances.
