“They were trying to convince Bradley Beal.… They were trying to kick the tires on Damian Lillard” - NBA analyst says there was a lot of doubt in the Golden State Warriors camp before the start of the season

The Golden State Warriors have booked their sixth NBA Finals appearance in the last eight years after eliminating the Dallas Mavericks in Game 5. After a two-year playoff drought, the Dubs are back where they seem destined to be.

Steph Curry vowed after the play-in loss to the Memphis Grizzlies that the NBA wouldn’t want to see them again this season. He was so sure of what he said that it felt like the Warriors were undoubtedly on track to become elite contenders heading into the 2021-22 campaign.

The Athletic’s Marcus Thompson was on the Zach Lowe Post to reveal that doubts were at the heart of the Warriors’ offseason, though, stating:

“They [Curry, Thompson, Green] wanted somebody who was ready right now to help win right now; the doubt was there, the skepticism was there.

"They were trying to convince Bradley Beal to jump ship, they were trying to kick the tires on Damian Lillard, see if they could get somebody to come. The skepticism was no doubt there.”

Two of the Golden State Warriors’ most important pieces, James Wiseman and Klay Thompson, were about to return from serious injuries. Nobody in the franchise realistically knew what to expect when both will return.

Thompson, in particular, had been out for so long that putting the burden on him to be the Warriors’ second-best offensive player was reckless and arrogant.

Andrew Wiggins’ first two years with the Golden State Warriors weren’t exactly awe-inspiring. Some would even say the Dubs were doing a reclamation project. More importantly, Steph Curry and Draymond Green are now a little older, with a few more injuries that could dent their durability.

Here's what the longtime Bay Area sports reporter thought about the Golden State Warriors’ offseason:

“No question it was there all offseason, it was there during the contract negotiations when you’re wondering what’s the direction of the Warriors. What are they trying to do?

"Are they trying to win? Are they trying to build for the future? The skepticism was definitely there before the season began.”

However, once Steve Kerr decided to make Gary Payton II the final piece of the roster, Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Klay Thompson never doubted that decision. Curry and Green were eager to roll up their sleeves and give it their all.

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Almost everything the Golden State Warriors hoped for turned out right for them

The Golden State Warriors are back on the NBA's biggest stage. [Photo: San Francisco Chronicle]

Except for James Wiseman coming back to make a significant contribution to the Golden State Warriors’ championship aspirations, nearly everything went as hoped for.

The Warriors were hoping for at least a serviceable Klay Thompson upon his return. No one was expecting the old “Killa Klay” back, but no team was also going to leave him alone on offense.

The threat of Thompson’s shooting was enough to disrupt the defense and add a little more space for Steph Curry to work with.

Golden State was expecting Andrew Wiggins to just continue his play from the past two years. Nobody saw it coming when he eventually had an All-Star season. Wiggins’ combination of size, length and willingness to play defense is a crucial element to the Warriors’ title aspirations.

Finally, and even with Klay Thompson back, they were looking to develop another scorer to relieve pressure from Steph Curry.

Enter Jordan Poole. JP’s emergence opened up the Golden State Warriors’ new death lineup, rekindling the nightmares of the Bay Area team’s terrifying five-man unit.

What started as an offseason full of doubts is turning out to be a fairytale journey for the Golden State Warriors. They still have an NBA Finals series to play, but regardless of the outcome, the doubts of whether they can still win it all are nothing but distant memories.