The Golden State Warriors, one of the NBA‘s most successful franchises in recent years, find themselves in an unfamiliar position at the end of the 2022-23 season: out of playoff contention and reflecting on a disappointing campaign.

Coming into the season, the Warriors had high hopes. After missing the playoffs the previous year due to injuries to stars Steph Curry and Klay Thompson, the team had revamped their roster, adding veteran guard Kyle Lowry and young forward Jalen Green to complement their core of Curry, Thompson, and Draymond Green. They also had a new head coach in Becky Hammon, who was making history as the NBA’s first female head coach.

Things got off to a rocky start for the Warriors, however, as they lost their season opener to the Los Angeles Lakers. They rebounded with wins over the Sacramento Kings and Oklahoma City Thunder, but then suffered a string of losses to the Portland Trail Blazers, Memphis Grizzlies, and Denver Nuggets. Curry and Thompson both struggled with their shooting, and the team’s defense looked porous.

As the season progressed, the Warriors showed flashes of their old form, but could never quite put it together consistently. Thompson, who was returning from a torn Achilles tendon, struggled to regain his form, and missed several games with various minor injuries. Curry continued to put up big numbers, but the team lacked depth and struggled to find a reliable second scorer. Lowry proved to be a solid addition, but Green had a down year, averaging just 6.8 points per game, his lowest since his rookie season.

One bright spot for the Warriors was the emergence of Green’s backup, rookie Jonathan Kuminga. The 19-year-old forward showed flashes of brilliance, scoring a career-high 28 points in a win over the Utah Jazz, and earning praise from his teammates and coaches for his work ethic and potential.

Despite Kuminga’s promising play, the Warriors struggled to stay above .500, and found themselves on the outside looking in when it came to playoff contention. With just a few games left in the season, the team announced that Thompson would be shut down for the rest of the year, in order to give him more time to recover from his injuries and be ready for next season.

After missing the playoffs for the second year in a row, the Warriors were left to reflect on what went wrong. Injuries were certainly a factor, as Thompson’s absence and the limited availability of several key reserves left the team short-handed at times. But the Warriors also struggled with consistency, particularly on the defensive end. The team’s perimeter defense, in particular, was a weakness, as they allowed opponents to shoot 38% from three-point range, the fourth-highest mark in the league.

Another issue for the Warriors was their lack of depth. Outside of their starting five, the team struggled to find reliable contributors. Kuminga showed promise, but was inconsistent, and other young players like Moses Moody and James Wiseman struggled to make an impact. The team’s bench was one of the worst in the league, ranking 28th in scoring and 29th in field goal percentage.

Despite the disappointing season, there were some positives for the Warriors. Curry continued to put up MVP-caliber numbers, averaging 30.4 points, 6.5 assists, and 5.9 rebounds per game, while shooting 44% from the field and 41% from three-point range. Lowry proved to be a solid addition, averaging 16.8 points, 7.2 assists, and 5.4 rebounds per game, and providing leadership and toughness on both ends of the court. The emergence of Kuminga was also a bright spot, as the rookie showed glimpses of star potential and provided hope for the team’s.