Golden State Warriors season preview — Now or Never

For its season preview series, NBC Sports is focusing on teams at a crossroads, franchises where this season feels like now or never — either it works or big changes could be coming next summer. Up next: The Golden State Warriors

After more than a decade together — with four titles but also numerous injuries — Father Time is catching up in his race with the Golden State Warriors.

That's what puts a distinct pressure on Golden State this season — even those around the team seem to feel this could be the final big swing for this era of Warriors basketball. It may be now or never.

It's not like the wrecking ball is swinging through the Warriors roster after this season no matter
what happens, but the core is getting older — Stephen Curry is past the age Michael Jordan retired (the first time) — and bringing in Chris Paul didn't make the team younger and more athletic. This season is their shot.

Chris Paul joins the Warriors

Changes next summer could start with their heralded new addition: Chris Paul.

New Warriors GM Mike Dunleavy does not back away from this: Part of the reason to trade Jordan Poole for CP3 was financial. Paul has a $30 million contract for next year but it is fully non-guaranteed. The Warriors can — and almost certainly will — cut him loose, which allows them to extend Klay Thompson (at a lower number than the $43.2 million he makes now) and stay under the second apron of the luxury tax. If Paul proves himself invaluable this season, the Warriors can re-sign him at a salary the team can better tolerate (keeping their tax bill in check).

It means the Warriors may get one chance with CP3 and they need to make it work.

"My goal this year is to help Chris Paul get his first championship. That's my goal," Draymond Green told Ohm Youngmisuk of ESPN." It's not redeem anything about Draymond. My goal is that we can help Chris Paul get his first championship."

Paul will start games to open the season because Green is recovering from a sprained ankle. There could be some push and pull when Green returns, but ultimately Paul and the Warriors both will conclude that he should come off the bench for the first time in his career. Golden State's starting five last season — Curry, Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Green and Kevon Looney — was one of the league's best lineups with a +22.1 net rating (via Cleaning the Glass). The Warriors don't need to break that up, they need a boost in the minutes Curry is on the bench (-2.2 per 100 possessions last season).

"It's mad fun," Curry told the media Thursday about playing with CP3." I get the rebound and push, I can throw it ahead in transition knowing he's pretty sure with the ball. He makes the right decision. He's been really good catching and shooting when he's open, moving without the basketball. ... It's pretty seamless, really, to be honest."

Warriors getting older

The argument against the Warriors as contenders is simple: They have gotten too old.

Warriors faithful would push back — this team is not that different than the one that won the ring two seasons ago. They're not wrong. Stephen Curry was still a top-10 player in the league last season and looked every bit the best player on a championship team (come the playoffs he was the only guy who could be trusted to create a shot for Golden State). Further removed from his devastating injuries, Thompson is probably better now than when the Warriors won their last ring. Green remains one of the game's best defenders, and while his shooting is not great it was not good when they won a ring. Green is still an elite passer and secondary shot creator.

However, this team has no margin for error. To hang a fifth banner from the Curry era, the Warriors need a lot of things to go right:

• Curry cannot slip from that top-10 level. The day he does is the day the Warriors championship era is over, and the history of players in their age 36 season should concern Warriors fans.

• Andrew Wiggins has to stay healthy and contribute as he did during the team's title run when he was their second-best
player. He missed the 23 games before the playoffs last season and was not the player the Warriors needed upon his return.

• Kevon Looney just has to keep playing like he has the last couple of years, he is one of the most underrated bigs in the league and a solid anchor for this team.

• Jonathan Kuminga has to take a step forward as a key player off the bench and bring a needed jolt of athleticism to the roster. He could be a dangerous pick-and-roll player with CP3.

• Veteran bench additions Dario Saric and Cory Joseph must be solid contributors and boost a bench that lagged last season.

In the end though, it all comes down to this: Can the Warriors outrun Father Time for one more season?

"I feel like we've been over this multiple times in the previous years. We have a great team and you should never doubt the heart of a champion," Looney told Clutch Points. "When you got guys like Steph, Klay, CP3, Draymond – they are all Hall of Famers for a reason. They're winners for a reason and I really believe we still have a lot left in the tank. Losing last year was not ideal, but it has helped us refocus on our main goal of keeping things going. This year is going to be special.”

The Warriors need it to be.