Not sure if you heard, but the Western Conference took some steroids this offseason.
Anthony Davis was traded to the Lakers to team up with LeBron James. The Clippers signed Kawhi Leonard and traded for Paul George. The Jazz added Mike Conley Jr. Oh, and the Rockets swapped Chris Paul for Russell Westbrook.
Meanwhile, the Warriors lost Kevin Durant, Andre Iguodala, DeMarcus Cousins and Shaun Livingston. The Dubs got younger by adding All-Star D'Angelo Russell, Willie Cauley-Stein, Alec Burks and rookies Jordan Poole, Eric Paschall and Alen Smailagic.
With Klay Thompson out until at least the NBA All-Star break, the Warriors must find a way to integrate their new pieces quickly in order to maintain pace in the West.
While some already are pouring dirt on the Warriors' grave, Monte Poole, Logan Murdock and Kerith Burke believe differently.
"If Klay Thompson comes back healthy and productive, I think they are going to scare some people in the playoffs," Poole said on NBC Sports Bay Area's "Warriors Offseason Review." "I don't see these guys getting a top-four seed without Klay, but they can get a five or six seed maybe. In the first round, if they have Klay, D'Angelo Russell, Steph Curry and Draymond Green, they will be a force to be reckoned with. They'll get out of the first round. They won't be one and done I don't think."
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With Thompson out, the Warriors will have to rely on the greatness of Curry and Green, as well as the quick integration of Russell, if they plan to survive the revamped and reloaded Western Conference.
Don't count them out, though.
