Entering the 2022-23 NBA season, the Golden State Warriors were determined to defend their title.

However, after a season full of ups and downs, the Warriors ultimately earned the sixth seed in the Western Conference and were eliminated by the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round of the playoffs.

This has been a busy offseason for the Warriors, and the franchise will look different (on and off the court) next year. General manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. took over the front office after the departure of Bob Myers, and he didn't wait long to start putting his fingerprints all over the roster.

While the core of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green will be back, the Warriors added veterans Chris Paul, Cory Joseph and Dario Saric as well as rookies Brandin Podziemski (No. 19 overall) and Trayce Jackson-Davis (No. 57 overall). Jordan Poole was dealt to the Washington Wizards (along with Ryan Rollins and Patrick Baldwin Jr.), and Donte DiVincenzo signed with the New York Knicks.

The Warriors made it clear that their top priority this summer was retaining Green, and they gave him a four-year, $100 million contract. While the Warriors could have gone younger, they instead decided to add veterans and chase their fifth championship in 10 years.

Warriors head coach Steve Kerr recently opened up about what went wrong last season, taking some of the blame for the team's struggles.

“I will say that I feel like I failed last year in connecting the group,” Kerr told Shayna Rubin of the San Jose Mercury-News. “I have taken a lot of time this summer to think about last year, things I could have and should have done differently. I really believe that sometimes losing sort of forces you to reassess and reevaluate and I’m excited about coming back next year with a renewed focus and energy and spirit from the entire group. And that starts with me, and I can’t wait.”

Green punching Poole during training camp likely had a significant impact behind the scenes. Kerr's comment also lines up with a recent report from Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area that Green and Jonathan Kuminga don't have a relationship, but the Warriors hope that can be resolved.

"[Green and Kuminga not having a relationship] is a problem and it can only be fixed by Draymond," Monte Poole said on 95.7 The Game. "The new contract implies the Warriors believe he can fix it, but around the league there are a lot of people saying, 'I don't know.'"

Kerr also opened up about Golden State's recent additions. When asked if Paul will start (as he's done throughout his whole career), Kerr said that the decision will come later.

“All of that will happen in training camp,” Kerr told Rubin. “Until we get everyone on the floor, we won’t be able to assess what’s best for our team and how everything is going to look. But I’m very confident that it’s going to work out. We got great guys and we got champions, great competitors. There’s one goal next year, and that’s to win at the highest possible level. Everything else will unfold as the season does.”

Kerr seems excited about the additions of Joseph and Saric as well.

“We needed guys like Saric and Cory Joseph who have been through the NBA rigors and understand what it means to be a leader from the middle of the roster and how important that is,” Kerr told Rubin, later adding, “Mike really recognized that was an area we needed help, so he went out without many resources and fortified our roster and put us in position moving forward...

“He understands that we have a window that’s still open. I think he’s fortified our roster with some really good veteran players and veteran leaders and balanced out the roster to where we have a better ratio of vets to young guys.”

The Warriors can never be counted out as contenders, and it's certainly possible that their dynastic run will continue.