The Golden State Warriors failed to snare a big fish this offseason, as they came up short in the LeBron James sweepstakes. They may try again when this season rolls around, but right now they are a little short on options, so they are turning to Utah Jazz alumni Georges Niang and Kelly Olynyk.
NBA Insider Jake Fischer confirmed this on his latest live stream. Honestly, they could do worse, but Olynyk is coming off an inconsequential season in San Antonio, while Niang didn't even play a game this season due to a stress fracture.
If Golden State were in the same place they once were when they ruled supreme in the NBA, Niang and Olynyk would be solid flyers, but they aren't. In fact, they're far from the terrors they used to be. They don't necessarily have to be to be right there in the tier of title contenders, but they didn't even make the playoffs last year.
Maybe Niang is still the dead-eye three-point shooter he established himself to be in Utah, but even if he is, how much does he improve the Warriors' chances? Maybe Olynyk simply didn't fit in San Antonio, but at 35 years old, there will be questions about what he can still do on the NBA's oldest team.
The Warriors could use both of them if they can still play, but it's fair to believe there's a good chance they're not the players they were with the Jazz.
No one should root against them by any means if they become Warriors, but how useful would they be in Golden State? Here's another question.
Are the Warriors even better than the Jazz right now?
The Jazz aren't burdened by the clock like the Warriors are right now, and expectations being both higher and kept in check works in their favor, as fans can be excited without really being worried if things go wrong because of how young and talented they are.
Stephen Curry is still an amazing talent, but Golden State has steadily faltered since their last title. They are relying on him, Draymond Green, Al Horford, and Jimmy Butler, all of whom are still good players but are aging, hence aren't what they were, and worse, are at a greater risk of getting hurt.
The Jazz may have lost Walker Kessler, but they have win-now stars like Lauri Markkanen and Jaren Jackson Jr. along with promising young stars like Keyonte George, Ace Bailey, and Darryn Peterson. The Warriors beat them in experience, but they might be a little too seasoned to match up with these young Jazzmen.
Adding Niang and Olynyk doesn't really remove Golden State's risks, even if they were to pan out as well as they realistically can. The Warriors could be better than the Jazz this season, and it likely won't change that their title window is closed, whether the two Jazz alumni are there or not.
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