Golden State Warriors: Why They Need to Stay Together

May 12, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobili (20) passes the ball away from the reach of Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson (11) and forward Carl Landry (7) in the third quarter in game four of the second round of the 2013 NBA Playoffs at Oracle Arena. Mandatory Credit: Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Change, change, and more change has been an underlying theme for the Golden State Warriors in these past couple of decades. The Warriors surprisingly traded away Jason Richardson after the Warriors’ breakout season in 2007. Of course, the Dubs finished with a better record than before, but the Warriors really suffered because they missed the playoffs that year in 2008. It was really heartbreaking for them and their fans.

After that season, Baron Davis left the team, Al Harrington wanted out, Mickael Pietrus signed somewhere else, and Stephen Jackson left as well. This left Monta Ellis to run the team and be the future, and that he was. Ellis was one of the Warriors’ best in the past decade, whether it was scoring, defending in crunch time, or just all-around play, Ellis was the Warriors’ rock. Then, he got some help when David Lee and Stephen Curry entered the picture.

Joe Lacob, the Warriors owner, decided that the Warriors no longer needed Ellis, so they swapped him for Andrew Bogut, the center of the Bucks. The next season, without an injured Bogut, this season, the Warriors had some success, leaning on the superstar-dome of Lee, and the hot shooting of Curry. It was a great season for the Warriors, who made the playoffs, and were eliminated in the second round, Game 6. The Warriors hadn’t had this type of success since 2007. Isn’t it about time they screwed it up?

Jarrett Jack and Carl Landry, two crucial players, are free agents, but have both expressed desires to return to the Warriors next season. The problem is that the Warriors won’t be able to afford both of them. It’s going to be tough to keep both, again, but they should hold on to Jack if anything, and then draft a new power forward. Of course, this is all provided the Warriors only re-sign one of these two.

Not only do these Warriors already have chemistry, but other than the injury, they like to play together and have fun out there. When you’re having fun doing the thing you love, there’s no reason to break that up. The Warriors, unlike other teams, however, can go head-to-head with some of the best teams in the NBA like the Heat and the Thunder.

If this team breaks up, all it’s going to do is send the Warriors into another rebuilding mode. A nice trade, like Klay Thompson for Eric Gordon wouldn’t be a terrible thing, but why bet on that when Thompson has a bright future? Sure, he may shoot the ball too much, but the inconsistency will go away when experience starts to play a factor. It was a sophomore slump, nothing more.