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The Warriors are officially out of Markkanen! Five major suspense surfaced: Curry is satisfied with the new lineup?

On August 8, Beijing time, Markkanen signed a five-year, $238 million contract extension for the Jazz ahead of schedule, and the entire 2024-25 season could not be traded, which also announced that the Warriors officially missed the All-Star forward. What's next for the Warriors? ESPN reporter Kendra Andrews analyzes the five major suspense that comes with it -

Suspense 1: Will the Warriors make other trades after missing Marca?

The Warriors are expected to enter the new season with their current roster of 15 players. Sources told ESPN that trade talks between the two sides have been cooling off after the Jazz asked for Podzemski in a trade, as well as multiple draft picks. The Warriors can currently trade only two unprotected first-rounders (2025+2027 or 2026+2028) and 2030 protected first-rounders (top-20 protected).

The Warriors place a high value on Podemski and Kuminga, and sources say any trade involving one of these players must be more conducive to the Warriors' long-term success. That means without an "overwhelming offer," the Warriors can't possibly trade the two youngsters.

Sources told ESPN that the Warriors have high value among young players, including Podziemski and fourth-year forward Jonathan ยท Kuminga. The source added that any deal that includes any one player would have to contribute more to the team's long-term success than they do.

With Markkanen on a five-year, $238 million contract extension, he won't be eligible for a trade until the summer of 2025, and the Warriors don't feel pressured to make another trade, believing that previous trades could already improve performance.

Suspense 2: How do new signings fit into the warrior system?

The departures of Thompson and Paul have made the Warriors no longer a luxury tax team. Since the 2013-14 season, the Warriors have paid a total of $677 million in luxury taxes. They actually brought in three players to replace Paul and Thompson, with Hield getting the most attention.

Since entering the NBA in 2016-17, Hield has ranked second in three-point attempts (1,924) during that period, behind only his new backcourt partner Curry (2,154). Among them, Hield hit 1,295 catch-and-shoot three-point shots, surpassing Curry and Thompson. Hield thinks he'll fit into the Warriors quickly and says replacing Thompson won't put him under pressure.

Lee can handle the ball, can play multiple positions on the court, and he can bring improvement to the Warriors on the defensive end. The data shows that in the 2023-24 season, the opponent's shooting rate is only 40.7% under Li Kaier's defense, which can rank second among the more than 200 players who defended at least 500 shots last season.

Melton can also bring defense, and his stats may not be remarkable, but the Warriors want him to continue to be a top-tier perimeter defender, with Melton being one of only six players who have averaged more than 1.5 steals per game over the past two seasons.

Suspense 3: How do Curry and Dream feel about the change in the Warriors?

Sources told ESPN that neither Curry nor Dream wants to be the "final decision-maker" on roster changes or trades, but they do want the Warriors to consult with them before making a move.

"Stephen [Curry] said, 'Listen, I don't want to make these decisions. It puts me in a different position than all my teammates. I don't want that,'" a source told ESPN.

Before Thompson decided to head to Dallas, he asked his teammates not to put pressure on the front desk. He just asked them to respect the decisions being made. And they did, too.

While saying goodbye to Thompson has left Curry and Dream a bit reluctant, both stars say they're excited about what the Warriors have done so far this summer. The source added that Curry and Dream have shown confidence in the team, and what happens this offseason can help the team as long as the team remains competitive.

Suspense 4: What will young people like Kuminga Moody face?

In addition to Curry, Warriors general manager Dunleavy has added two names who want to renew his contract: Kuminga and Moody. Both are expected to play more important roles in the new season, with Podemski and Jackson Davis also expected to remain in the squad.

However, they will not be awarded a starting spot directly. According to a source, in addition to Curry and Dream, the other three positions in the Warriors' starting lineup, as well as the rotation, are completely open and need to be obtained through competition in training camp.

Kuminga is eligible to sign a five-year, $224 million contract, with Moody's contract expected to be between $11 million and $13 million per year, and if the two don't renew their contracts, they will become full free agents after next season. Dunleavy said the team trusted and wanted to keep the two youngsters.

Suspense 5: What role do Stotts and Starkerhouse play?

Atkinson became the head coach of the Cavaliers, assistant coach Milojevic passed away in February, and the Warriors needed to fill two staff gaps, and they selected Stotts and Starkerhouse.

Stackhouse is primarily responsible for defense and will work with longtime assistant coach Chris DeMarco, who has previously been involved in shaping the Warriors' defense.

Stotts was the head coach of the Trail Blazers for eight seasons from 2012 to 2021 and briefly as an assistant coach for the Bucks last season, and he will focus more on helping the Warriors offensively. In 2004, he spent one season as an assistant coach with the Warriors. The team believes that Stotts "fits in with Kerr's coaching model".

A source told ESPN that Stotts and Kerr are "like-minded," and that Kerr has always appreciated Stotts' offensive acumen and the way he communicates with his players.

How many wins do you think the Warriors will get in the new season? Where can they rank in the competitive West? Feel free to leave a message to express your opinions.



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