What is the Golden State Warriors' biggest weakness entering the 2021-22 NBA season?

The Golden State Warriors might be one of the favored teams to win the 2022 NBA championship but that is predicated on a lot of factors going right. They currently have the fourth-best pre-season odds to win the title next season behind the Brooklyn Nets, LA Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks. After the season Stephen Curry just had, many are convinced that Klay Thompson's return is enough to push them into contender status.

However, one cannot help but wonder that there are a lot of glaring holes in their championship recipe. For starters, we cannot just assume that Klay Thompson will be healthy and back to his All-Star self. We also don't know if the young players can contribute right away. Is Stephen Curry heading into another mediocre season? How do the Golden State Warriors fare against the other title-contending team, especially the LA Lakers?

What is the chink in the Golden State Warriors' armor?

Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors

It's hard to point to one single factor and call it the Warriors' weakness heading in to next season. The reason why the Golden State Warriors have 41 nationally televised games and are one of the top five favorites to win the title is Stephen Curry. He is the NBA's top draw and his supporting cast needs to be perfect for them compete in the Western Conference playoffs.

The biggest "if" is Klay Thompson. He is coming off consecutive season-ending injuries and will take a while before he can adjust in an NBA game. Sure, he is a jump shooter and his game doesn't depend on his athleticism but any player who returns from an ACL or an Achilles injury, let alone both, misses significant time during the season. Injury management and other minor injuries will keep Thompson off the floor as he joins near Christmas, so he is missing the first 30 games anyway.

As much as we want him to step on the floor and immediately sweep us off our feet, Klay Thompson is returning after consecutive season-ending injuriesHe is not expected to return to his All-Star self right away & will likely pace himself at firsthttps://t.co/gILr47EvXj

— Kunal Sethi (@KunalSethiBBnBB) August 25, 2021

Additionally, the Golden State Warriors' draft picks - Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody and James Wiseman (2020) are all young and inexperienced. We cannot assume that they are ready and can contribute in a title run. Kuminga and Moody are teenagers, and when the franchise didn't package the picks for a veteran, the fanbase was understandably upset. The Warriors are in a win-now mode as the core trio of Curry, Thompson and Draymond Green are all north of 31. Only time will tell how Wiseman and the rookies will blend in and play.

Steve Kerr knows Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody's youth gives them a higher ceiling, but can the lottery picks earn minutes as rookies with the Warriors?https://t.co/emfxwDrWp8 pic.twitter.com/lsQKH4RvUD

— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) August 16, 2021

Finally, free agency additions are also not guaranteed in buckets and minutes. The only player who will make a significant impact is Otto Porter Jr. Andre Iguodala is 37 years old and Nemanja Bjelica is 34 by the time the playoffs come around. They aren't going to receive many minutes and a lot of burden will be on 33-year-old Curry, Klay Thompson returning from an Achilles injury, Green and their young players.

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