The Golden State Warriors, since they have fallen to the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games in the absence of superstar Stephen Curry, have turned their sights toward next season.
Curry, Draymond Green and mid-season acquisition Jimmy Butler all have two years left on their contracts, setting a clear window for the team to attempt to win another title.
However, a densely-talented Western Conference, and a host of developing younger teams, will make a near-impossible task even more difficult.
The Warriors' path to a championship only becomes steeper as time goes on
When Golden State acquired Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline, the team moved from mediocrity into serious championship contention, renovating its offensive structure and putting together the best defense in the league for the last half of the season.
In the regular season, the Warriors were 23-7 when Butler played, and, although they ultimately were relegated to the play-in with a loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on the last day of the regular season, survived a grueling series against the Houston Rockets and looked to be on the path to the Western Conference finals.
However, Curry's hamstring strain, which ultimately kept him out for the remainder of the team's playoff run, dashed those hopes, and now the team will look to re-tool in the off-season, adding a center or playmaking wing that can help the offense mesh even further.
However, with teams such as the Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves actively improving, and Golden State's core getting even older, the path could be much harder next season.
The Thunder, who were the best team by far in the regular season this year, have eight rotation players aged 26 and younger, and, as they continue to gain playoff experience and add talent around their roster with their amassed draft capital, they will only grow as the Western Conference's behemoth.
The Minnesota Timberwolves will have another year to figure out their offense with Julius Randle, and, as they approach their second consecutive Western Conference Finals run, will continue to see themselves as a championship-caliber team.
The Houston Rockets, despite their inability to defeat the Warriors in the first round, will also certainly continue to be a threat. They are a serious contender in the emerging Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes: a move that could solidify them as a bona-fide championship-level team.
While nothing is impossible with Curry, the Warriors will need to make some major improvements this off-season in order to stand a chance in an uber-talented Western Conference.
