What to know about the Warriors this season
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Stephen Curry (No. 30) and Chris Paul (No. 3) of the Warriors celebrate Curry's three-point shot against Sacramento in a preseason game this month. Photo: Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images
The Golden State Warriors kick off their season Tuesday against the Phoenix Suns in San Francisco, so here's a little primer for the die-hard fans and the Steph Curry(ous).
Why it matters: The Warriors took a gamble this offseason when they traded young guard Jordan Poole in exchange for veteran Chris Paul.
- The hope is that Paul can provide some stability during the non-Steph minutes and help bring the Warriors back to title-contention during Curry's remaining prime years.
The big picture: The core three of Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green are back this season, along with starting center Kevon Looney and Andrew Wiggins.
- Beyond the starting five, the Warriors made several changes during the offseason, including sending Poole, the guard Green punched in the face, to the Washington Wizards.
- Yes, but: Third-year players Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody are back, and the team is looking for them to play more minutes this season as key contributors off the bench.
What they're saying: "I am really proud of Moses and his development, as well as JK," Warriors head coach Steve Kerr said after the Warriors' final preseason game last week. "Those guys are really coming along well."
Meanwhile, the Warriors made two key additions to their roster with Paul, a 12-time NBA All-Star point guard, and Dario Šarić, who joined the Dubs from the Oklahoma City Thunder.
- Paul is expected to be able to provide a strong veteran presence in the Warriors' second unit — the bench players — which notoriously struggled whenever Curry rested last season.
Of note: Kerr has yet to determine whether Paul will start or come off the bench, and is expected to experiment with the rotation throughout the season.
- Šarić gives the Warriors much-needed size. At 6-foot-10, he's no Victor Wembanyama, but he can provide that big man presence when Looney's on the bench.
Between the lines: The Warriors had the fourth-worst road record in the league last season, finishing 11-30 in away games.
- The Dubs led the league in turnovers last season, with an average of 16.3 turnovers per game.
- Poole had an average of 3.1 turnovers per game, while Curry averaged 3.2.
- Paul, who's known for his assists and low turnover rate, should theoretically be able to help reduce the team's poor performance on this front.
What to watch: We'll see who starts in place of Green, who suffered an ankle injury in the off-season and will not play on Tuesday.
- The game starts at 7pm. Tune in on TNT.
Go deeper: There are a handful of new rule changes this season, including penalizing flopping and granting teams a second coach's challenge.