Warriors: Players showing potential amid team struggles

Although the Golden State Warriors have had a disappointing season, several players have recently been making a case to be on this team for the long run.

With Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson both missing a majority of this year due to injury, this season has not gone according to plan, to say the least. The Golden State Warriors find themselves at the bottom of the league with a vile 14-48 record after five years of dominance.

As their roster has gone through a complete revamping, the team has used this season to evaluate talent for the long run. Several new players have been playing fantastic basketball as of late, showcasing potential to be a part of this team in the future.

The first player is Andrew Wiggins, whom the Warriors acquired at the trade deadline for D’Angelo Russell in a blockbuster move.

This move cannot be judged until we see the small forward paired up next to the lethal duo of Curry and Thompson, but seeing Wiggins mesh with Golden State recently has been promising.

In his last nine games, the small forward has been averaging 20.1 points per game, shooting 46.5 percent from the field and a troublesome 33.3 percent from three-point range.

Wiggins has always struggled with his shooting from behind the arc but is something that can improve in this new system.

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Not only has Wiggins been performing well on the offensive end, but he is putting in work on the defensive side of the ball as well. In this same stretch of games, Wiggins is totaling 1.6 blocks per game and 1.7 steals per game, making his presence felt.

Next is a pair of rookies for the Warriors, the coveted tandem of Eric Paschall and Jordan Poole. Paschall was the 41st pick in this past draft, and has been putting up fantastic numbers all season, but has been stellar as of late.

In his last 10 games, Paschall has been averaging 15.1 points per game on a spectacular 54.7 percent field goal shooting. The rookie has been solidifying his spot in the rotation all season long and has been showcasing that he deserves to be in the team’s future plans.

As for their other rookie, 28th pick Jordan Poole has come on strong as of late as well after struggling for parts of this season. Over his last nine games, the 20-year-old has been sensational with the ball in his hands, averaging a thrilling 15.8 points per game.

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This boost from the rookies has been a huge spark for the Warriors, who appear to have a pair of significant pieces moving forward.

Finally, both Marquese Chriss and Damion Lee have been playing exceptional basketball in recent play. Lee is averaging 14.2 points per game in his last ten appearances, along with 1.6 steals.

As for Chriss, the former number four overall draft pick has bounced around the league but has potentially found a new home with the Warriors.

Over his last nine games, the 22-year-old Chris is putting up 15.0 points per game, while shooting an impressive 63.5 percent from the field. The big man is also totaling 1.3 blocks, showing he can contribute on both ends of the floor.

With 20 games left to play this season, the Warriors seemingly have found several hidden gems in their down year that can be significant pieces for future success.

This season may not have panned out how many were hoping, but with these pieces and a fully healthy roster next season, Golden State is primed to jump right back into contention.