The Golden State Warriors are your 2022 NBA Champions. It’s a momentous accomplishment, especially when you consider where the Warriors were only two short years ago, posting a league-worst 15-50 record while faced with a decision all teams dread—rebuild or stay the course? The Warriors opted for the latter and it paid off handsomely, but the only thing harder than winning a title is running it back.
The problem with great players is that they’re usually quite expensive. It’s a challenge that permeates all sports, a delicate balancing act that can often determine whether a champion becomes a dynasty. Clearly, GM Bob Myers has no qualms going over the luxury tax (they paid an unprecedented $170 million in penalties this season), but with Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins both coming off the books in 2023, the Warriors’ willingness to win at all costs will be tested, at least from a financial vantage point.
Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green are all over 30, creating a sense of urgency as the Warriors, cognizant of their closing title window, look to keep their championship core intact. Inevitably, sacrifices will need to be made, with Curry’s league-high $48.1-million salary next season leaving little margin for error. Golden State will pay whatever it takes to make Curry a Warrior for a life. What that means for his supporting cast, however, is anyone’s guess.
While celebrating the fruits of their labor, Poole and Wiggins alluded to their upcoming contract negotiations, with both anticipating major paydays.
Maybe it was the champagne talking, but Poole isn’t wrong. A bargain at his current $3.9-million price tag, the 22-year-old is eligible for a five-year, $186-million max extension, and while that’s not a likely possibility, Poole can still expect a significant raise. Whether it’s from the Warriors or another team when he enters free agency next summer remains to be seen.
Wiggins finds himself in a similar position. Previously labeled an underachiever, never quite panning out in Minnesota, the former first overall pick enjoyed a breakout season in 2022, achieving All-Star status for the first time while roundly outplaying his Celtics counterpart Jayson Tatum throughout the Finals.
Both indispensable members of a team that defied all expectations in capturing its fourth title in eight years, Thursday’s coronation wouldn’t have been possible without Wiggins’ emergence or the continued development of Poole, a dominant scorer hurdling fast toward superstardom.
The Warriors deserve all the victory cigars they can smoke, basking in the thrill of a championship no one saw coming. But when the drinks stop flowing and the confetti stops falling, the Warriors will have to decide where Poole and Wiggins fit in their future plans.
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