NBA: Kevin Durant’s Departure ‘Maybe The Best Thing’ For Warriors’ Rebuild Says Owner

The Golden State Warriors have dominated the past few years with their high-octane offense and their stacked roster. The franchise saw five straight trips to the NBA Finals and won three championships in that stretch.

But with the departure of Kevin Durant to the Brooklyn Nets, the Warriors saw themselves fall into a unique season. It has been a turbulent ride for the Warriors in recent years. A series of injuries and roster changes have brought the franchise in an interesting situation.

Their star player and two-time MVP Steph Curry was out for most of the season as he nursed his injured hand that required surgery. Klay Thompson also missed the entire season after he tore his ACL in last year’s NBA Finals.

The Warriors’ roster now has a completely different look – a far cry from their championship days. The inexperience of their new players and the lack of the Splash Brothers and Durant have brought the team straight to the bottom of the team standings.

Despite all of these, Warriors owner Joe Lacob shares that it’s a good thing for the team. Per Bleacher Report, the exit of Durant forced the team to take immediate action to rebuild.

They acquired former All-Star D’Angelo Russell and eventually traded him the 2014 number 1 overall pick, Andrew Wiggins. With everything that has happened to the Warriors, they still remain as a team to watch as they’re able to prepare for the situation.

"Maybe this is the best thing. We were able to start a rebuild a little bit earlier than we otherwise might have," Lacob said.

"The positive is we got a chance to move forward quicker and to move into the next phase of what we're doing," he added.

The Warriors are looking to bounce back in the coming season as the duo of Curry and Thompson is set to return. In addition to this, the Warriors will also benefit from the combination of their newly acquired players and the outcome of their draft.

Whether they stick with their high draft pick or opt to trade down, the team is still stacked with assets that can help them find their way back to the top of the league.