This season about Oakland for Warriors
The Golden State Warriors are moving from Oakland’s Oracle Arena to the new Chase Center in San Francisco for the 2019-2020 NBA season.
San Francisco Chronicle columnist Ann Killion hopes Warriors fans understand that this season isn’t just about the team contending for its third NBA championship in a row, but that it’s also about the final season in Oakland, which has been the full-time home to the franchise since 1971.
“You might think this new Warriors season is about whether the team will win its third straight championship, becoming the first team to achieve such dominance since the 2000-2002 Los Angeles Lakers,” wrote Killion. “You’d be wrong.
“You might think it’s about finding new motivation for a potentially complacent team. About integrating Boogie Cousins or developing the young players. About convincing Kevin Durant to opt in again next season or about beating LeBron down in L.A. About cementing their status as a true dynasty or about trying to keep this window of opportunity open.
“You’d be wrong on all counts.
“This Warriors season is all about Oakland. Or as the team has somewhat patronizingly marketed it in recent years, about their ‘Town.’
“Despite all the nostalgia and unhappiness over the move (to San Francisco), this is vastly different than a team abandoning the area completely (the Raiders) or moving 48 miles away to a far less interesting place (the 49ers).
“The Warriors were the San Francisco Warriors when they first moved from Philadelphia to California. And they have never been the Oakland Warriors, holding the city for decades at arm’s length with the nonsense moniker Golden State.
“As soon as this ownership group bought the team, it made its intentions clear, by actions if not words. Their introductory event was held in San Francisco, at a restaurant directly under the Bay Bridge. Every press conference was held in the city. They never pretended otherwise.
“Now it’s going to happen. “So enjoy the nostalgia trip. Every last moment.”