HOOPSAHOLIC

After an offseason of change and Kevin Love trade rumors, the Golden State Warriors go into the 2014 season with a lot of optimism as they try to take the next step as a franchise. The Warriors were bounced out the playoffs by the Clippers last season in the first round which resulted in the firing of Mark Jackson and the hiring of Steve Kerr. Now with a roster LOADED with talent, Kerr will need to figure out a way to get this Warriors team to the NBA Finals. 

Steph Curry is one of the best shooters in NBA history, and will be asked to lead this Warriors team from the point guard position. Last year, Curry was voted a starter for the West in the all-star game after averaging 24 points, 8.5 assists and four rebounds to go along with his 42% three-point percentage. He's proven every season that he's more than just a one-dimensional player like many thought he'd be coming out of Davidson. I don't think he's the best point guard in the Western conference, but I do believe he's a top-5 talent. I expect him to give opposing teams nightmares once again and lead the league in three-point makes. 

Curry's "Splash Brother", Klay Thompson is also one of the best shooters in the league, which gives the Warriors one of the best guard duos in all of the league. Thompson averaged 18 points last season while shooting 41.7% from behind the arc. There were rumors that Thompson would get packaged up in a deal for Kevin Love over the summer, but ultimately the Warriors decided Thompson was too valuable of a piece to give up. Last season Mark Jackson believed Thompson was not only a great shooter, but the best wing-defender on the team as well. If he continue his lights-out shooting touch and great defense, then Thompson could end up with a spot in his first all-star game. 

The Warriors want to see a lot more out of Andre Iguodala this season after a mediocre first year in Golden State. Iguodala averaged nine points to go along with five rebounds and four assists per game, but he really struggled to fit into this offensive juggernaut. I think with a new coach in Kerr, the Warriors will find a way to best utilize the athleticism of Iguodala. He's also considered one of the best wing defenders in the NBA, so the duo of Iguodala and Thompson will be a tough matchup for opposing teams. 

If both David Lee and Andrew Bogut can stay healthy this season, the Warriors will have dominant big-men to go along with their potent shooters. Lee averaged 18 points and nine rebounds last year while battling through various injuries. He's always been known as a double-double guy, but he will need to step up his defense, a part of Lee's game that's always been criticized. Where Lee lacks on the defensive side of the ball, Bogut makes up for it. Bogut's one of the better rim protectors in the league and averaged seven points and ten rebounds last season. This duo will clog the lane and bolster the already stout Warriors defense that finished fourth in the league last year in defensive efficiency. 

Along with a stellar starting five, the Warriors will have a fairly deep bench. Draymond Green, Harrison Barnes and Shaun Livingston should all contribute heavily to the teams success while Green and Barnes might find opportunities to start if Lee and Iguodala get off to a slow start. Ultimately I have the Warriors finishing fifth in the West. That ranking may seem pretty low, but with so many great teams making up the conference I don't see the Warriors finishing much higher.