Blockbuster moves galore rocked the 2015 NBA trade deadline and the Golden State Warriors signed James Michael McAdoo beyond his 10-day contract.
The Oklahoma City Thunder acquired four-fifths of a key reserve lineup and the Warriors elevated a former contracted D-leaguer to the official roster.
The Portland Trail Blazers addressed their primary bench weakness with Arron Afflalo, the Phoenix Suns switched out three members of their backcourt and Golden State held on to an undrafted free agent.
Kevin Garnett went home to the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Warriors’ front-office decision-makers might as well have stayed home altogether.
We can only hope you’ve noticed somewhat of a trend at this point.
What comes next, of course, is questioning whether general manager Bob Myers was smart to stand pat at the deadline.
Was it the right move? Was it apt of Myers and Co. to do nothing when playoff contenders Portland, Oklahoma City and the Dallas Mavericks all bolstered their rosters? Was it OK that the team with the best record in the NBA felt confident with its current personnel?
Yes, yes…and a resounding yes.
The 45-11 Warriors under tremendous first-year head coach Steve Kerr feature one of the Association’s premier starting fives. They also boast one of, if not the best and deepest contingents off the bench, one that ranks seventh in scoring, third in steals and first in field-goal percentage.
Point guard Stephen Curry rates sixth in both scoring and assists, ranks No. 1 in both win shares per 48 minutes and steals per game and is an MVP contender.
Klay Thompson owns the fourth-highest three-point percentage, third-most blocks per game among shooting guards and is the most complete two-way guard in the NBA.
Curry and Thompson rank first and third, respectively, in makes from beyond the arc. Together they form an unrivaled backcourt duo and one of the best of all time.
Forward Harrison Barnes has averaged 10.4 points and 5.7 rebounds while ranking sixth in the league with a 43.4 percentage from downtown. He can also play both the three and the four.
Draymond Green, meanwhile, can effectively defend positions two through five on the court. He ranks No. 1 overall with 3.7 defensive win shares and has posted a valuable 11.1 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.4 blocks as one of the toughest guys on the hardwood.
Andrew Bogut, for his part, remains an elite passing and defensive big man. The 7’0” Aussie ranks sixth among centers with 2.8 assists and sixth overall with a 5.6 block percentage. He misdirects as many shots and neutralizes as many would-be interior scorers as any center playing today.
Furthermore, the reserve unit of G Shaun Livingston, G Leandro Barbosa, G/F Andre Iguodala, F/C David Lee and F/C Marreese Speights is nearly a complete group from top to bottom. These guys can score, defend and both hold leads and overcome deficits.
And if seven-footer Festus Ezeli can regain his pre-injury form, Golden State’s deficiency on the frontline will no longer exist.
Let’s now continue with some more sensational figures for the statistically inclined.
The Warriors possess two starters and two reserves with upper-echelon player efficiency ratings above 20.0. Curry, Thompson, Lee and Speights are a very rare foursome indeed.
As a team they rank No. 1 in assists, field-goal and three-point percentage while also holding opponents to the lowest shooting rate from the floor. They’re fifth in blocks, fourth in steals, second with 111.2 points scored per 100 possessions and first with 101.0 points allowed per said 100 possessions.
Holding down a top-two spot in both offensive and defensive efficiency is simply unheard of.
And what about Golden State’s record versus the Western Conference powers?
The Dubs are 3-1 against Oklahoma City and a collective 9-0 against Houston, Portland, Dallas and the New Orleans Pelicans. They’re a combined 2-2 versus the Los Angeles Clippers and San Antonio Spurs, but they also blew out those contenders by double-digits in each of their victories.
Only the second-ranked Memphis Grizzlies (1-0) and Eastern Conference-leading Atlanta Hawks (1-0) own winning records against the Warriors. And it’s not like they don’t have upcoming rematches with those pesky foes or anything.
The Warriors are simply great wherever and against whomever they play. They’re 24-2 at home, 21-9 on the road, 8-3 in the Pacific division, 27-7 against the West and 18-4 versus the East.
So, coming back full circle, should Golden State feel secure about staying idle at the trade deadline?
Outside of maybe boosting the frontcourt with a still two-way efficient Garnett, this squad is sufficiently complete from point guard to center. Curry, Bogut and the rest of the starting and reserve crew are an offensive, defensive and depth-dominant bunch.
Most importantly, Myers didn’t sacrifice key assets and tempt the luxury tax for any one-year rentals. He and the Dubs stood pat and, as such, remain primed and ready for a deep postseason, if not championship run.
Follow Joey on Twitter @jlevitt16 as he tries to wax eloquent on all things Warriors, NBA, NFL, MLB and the sports world at large.