The Golden State Warriors have made a flurry of late offseason additions to bolster their championship hopes.
Now that Jonathan Kuminga’s contract dispute is resolved, the Golden State Warriors made numerous additions to their star-studded roster.
Al Horford, De’Anthony Melton, and Seth Curry are among the new faces on the Warriors roster next season, and Gary Payton II re-signed to return to the Bay. After a summer of uncertainty, Golden State is now positioned to make a run at Stephen Curry’s fifth NBA title.
And former Denver Nuggets Head Coach Michael Malone identified one of the Warriors’ new additions as a ‘match made in heaven’ for Stephen Curry.
Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty ImagesMichael Malone says Al Horford is a perfect fit for Stephen Curry
Al Horford was Golden State’s most notable signing of the summer. He is likely to go straight into the starting five as an experienced big man who can replace Kevon Looney, who is now a New Orleans Pelican.
Horford brings championship experience and locker room leadership to the Warriors, but Malone also thinks he’s an excellent fit for Curry on the court.
Speaking on NBA Countdown, he explained, “Steve Kerr, historically, has not been a big pick-and-roll coach.
“They haven’t had maybe the players…now, you’re adding a guy [who in] in the last ten years is one of the most prolific pick-and-pop bigs the game has seen.
“So, I think this is a match made in heaven. I know Steph Curry has to be really excited.”
Malone’s prediction rests on one big qualifier, however. Kerr has demonstrated an unwillingness to adapt his playing style throughout his tenure as the Warriors’ head coach.
Even with Kevin Durant on the team, Kerr wouldn’t budge on his philosophy. Durant is one of the greatest isolation scorers of all time, and a pick-and-roll between Curry and Durant could have been one of the deadliest plays in the league’s history.
Durant repeatedly expressed that he wanted to run the pick-and-roll more, but Kerr stuck to his offense, built around motion, ball movement, and off-ball actions. If he didn’t change for Durant, he is unlikely to change for Horford.
Michael Malone points out key areas where Jimmy Butler has helped Golden State Warriors
The Warriors traded for Jimmy Butler from the Miami Heat last season and caught fire down the stretch heading into the playoffs. They were 23-8 with Curry, Butler, and Draymond Green starting, and became a legitimate contender for the title.
Unfortunately, Curry’s injury in the postseason put an end to their hopes, but Malone explained why the Warriors had so much success following their trade for Butler.
He said, “I go to Jimmy Butler and the impact he had last year. He had 25-3-8, and they had the number one defense in the NBA over that stretch. They played through Jimmy Butler when Steph was off the floor, and their free-throw rate went through the roof.
Warriors after Jimmy Butler tradeStatisticNBA RankWin – Loss23-83rdFree Throw Attempts per game24.93rdDefensive Rating1091st
“I’m excited to see how Steve Kerr uses Jimmy Butler after their first training camp, and the addition of Al Horford, who is a really important addition to this squad.”
Butler wasn’t able to carry the Warriors when Curry went down, perhaps ending the “Playoff Jimmy” mantra built around his ability to reach another level when the postseason begins.
But as the second star on the team, he helped form a dangerous big three in the Western Conference.