Steve Kerr said in recent weeks that for the Warriors, the season has ended and the roster is looking for the campaign next season. The hint from Kerr that the Dubs will not return even if the suspended games are resumed could become a reality, that is if the NBA restart plan is approved by the board of governors.
On Friday, NBA commissioner Adam Silver will forward his recommendations to the board that the league will stage the games again but with only 22 teams participating, potentially leaving out teams with disastrous win-loss records.
The Warriors could only manage 15 wins in 65 games before the season was forced to a pause due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The once invincible club suffered through the loss of Kevin Durant and Klay Thompson before the season started then Stephen Curry and Draymond Green followed suit midway due to injuries.
It has been a frustrating campaign for Warriors that Kerr has made clear that his focus now is on Season 2020-21. And the NBA is making it easy for the former champions to move forward by pushing for a game plan that excuses poor performing teams in the season.
According to Mercury News, a majority of the NBA board is inclined to give the Silver proposal the go-ahead. At least 75% of the board of governors will need to approve the planned season restart and all indications said Silver has the numbers.
The plan calls for the NBA teams to gather in Disney World in Orlando, where all 22 teams that will be called back will engage in play-in and regular-season games. Eight teams will be cut and since the Warriors sit at the bottom of the Western Conference, they no longer need to join the restarted games.
As NBC Sports aptly put it, "the season has come to a merciful end," for the Dubs following their domination of the 2010s, in which Golden State captured three NBA titles in five straight appearances in the NBA Finals.
For the Warriors fans, the next chance to catch the team playing will be next season, which as expected will be delayed. If the NBA season restart will go smoothly, the league has indicated that Season 2020-21 will be played starting on December 25.
For now, Silver is preoccupied with the more pressing task of wrapping up a season already pushed back by more than two months of inactivity. Citing the report from Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, NBC said Silver is compelled to cut short the season so resorting to the 22-team format is seen as the most viable solution.
It is expected that the playoffs will follow shortly after the season restart, in which 16 teams are tipped to participate.
