It's true the Warriors are in a tough spot as they head into the offseason.
After losing Kevin Durant (for a season, if not ever) and Klay Thompson (at least for most of next season), the Dubs head toward the 2019-20 season needing depth and shooting. Durant (Achilles) and Thompson (torn ACL) both suffered catastrophic injuries during Golden State's NBA Finals loss to the Toronto Raptors, and both will be free agents this offseason. Battered and bruised, the Warriors will enter next season as a shell of the dynasty that has reigned terror over the NBA for half a decade.
But while things are murky next season for the Warriors, things appear to be much worse in Houston.
Ever since the Warriors, without Durant, eliminated the Rockets in Game 6 of their second-round NBA playoff series, Houston has been crumbling at the foundation.
On Tuesday, Yahoo! Sports' Vinnie Goodwill reported that the relationship between star backcourt mates Chris Paul and James Harden was "unsalvageable," and that Paul had demanded a trade.
While Rockets GM Daryl Morey and Paul both shot down the report, a league source told Bleacher Report's Ken Berger that CP3 did, in fact, ask for a trade. Another source detailed the level of dysfunction that is going on with the Rockets.
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"It's the culture of me, instead of the culture of we," a person with knowledge of the inner workings of the team told Berger. "Look at how the Raptors played; it was a culture of we. Look at the Warriors. Despite everything, they maintained their dignity to the end. These guys (the Rockets), in the most important game of their season, all they cared about was, 'I've got to have it.' 'No, I've got to have it.' It's so stupid."
Well, surely it can't be that bad, can it?
"Part of the problem is, Chris won't shut up because he thinks he's leading and teaching," the source told Berger. "What he's really doing is berating. He thinks he's smarter than the coaches."
Yeah, not ideal.
[RELATED: Kerr reflects on KD's injury, decision to let him play]
Of course, the issue with Paul wanting a trade is that no team is going to want to take on the remaining three years, $125 million he is owed, especially as his body continues to break down. So, at least for now, the Rockets are stuck with the aging, disgruntled point guard.
Just as the Warriors appear vulnerable, Harden and Paul can't find a way to patch things up and take over the West as Morey always envisioned.
Tough break.
