ESPN Lists Golden State Warriors as contenders, predicts 48 wins

For the first time since 2018, the Golden State Warriors are entering an NBA season with title expectations. While winning a championship is their ultimate (maybe impossible) goal, it feels good to be considered a contender again, nevertheless.

ESPN’s predictions are never that important — but they have declared the Warriors as one of six championship contenders in the Western Conference. Overall, ESPN has predicted the Dubs will win 48 games.

ESPN has predicted the Golden State Warriors will compete for a title and approach their first 50-win season in three years.

Last season, ESPN projected the Warriors to finish with 36 wins and enter the Play-In Tournament. This was a pretty good guess as the Dubs won 39 games and clinched the eighth seed in the Play-In. Though, they fell short of reaching the playoffs.

It should not be too hard to see why ESPN feels Golden State will take a leap this year. Stephen Curry is still on the roster, after all — and he will have help this time. Klay Thompson will return around Christmas and the rest of the lineup is full of intriguing names.

Incoming rookies like Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody will bring their portion of growing pains but are exciting additions, regardless. These two can inject the Dubs with energy and act as wild cards throughout the year.

For more steady contributors, the Dubs can rely on Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins, Kevon Looney and a new collection of vets in Otto Porter, Nemanja Bjilica and of course, Andre Iguodala. All the while, promising developmental projects in Jordan Poole, Juan Toscano-Anderson and James Wiseman offer an opportunity to raise the Warriors’ ceiling even higher.

This multitude of x-factors will make for an interesting season. The Warriors could stampede their way to a top-seed in the second half of the year. Or, they could wind up battling for a Play-In spot once again.

Whatever happens, it simply feels rewarding to see this franchise back in a position to compete, for real.