The Golden State Warriors, or the 'Dubs' (from the first letter of their moniker, 'W' or Double-U) were projected to be title contenders after their surprise playoff run last year. Now at 7^th place in the West, is that a reasonable expectation?

The Dubs have already improved their roster from last year. The addition of Andre Iguodala has filled out some key defensive holes from last year. While the West is undoubtedly competitive, 7^th place was not a projection for them.

Are they really Contenders or merely Pretenders? Former NBA head coaches turned analysts weigh in:

"Avery Johnson: Pretender. They haven't been able to replace Jarrett Jack. Jack was an energetic, passionate, really tough point guard off the bench who could finish games alongside Stephen Curry. He took a lot of physicality at the point that Curry can't. But it's also because the top part of the Western Conference is just that good. It's not always about what a team like the Warriors can't do, but what other teams in their conference can do.

PJ Carlesimo: Contender. They're close enough in the West and it's going to come down to matchups. Playoffs are always about matchups. The numbers aren't going to matter, whether they get in at No. 7 or 8. The conference is nine deep, so it's just about getting in, playing well at the right time and staying healthy.

George Karl: Pretender. They can beat anyone in one seven-game series, but they don't have the ability to win three seven-game series to get out of the West. I think the West is going to be a dynamite first round. Every matchup will still see the losing team win one or two games. The No. 2 versus No. 7 or No. 3 versus No. 6 matchups, there's no difference between them. Dallas and Phoenix are not going to be easy outs. Golden State can get hot, but can they get hot for three series?"

The loss of Jarett Jack was not a light one. They struggled to find a back up point guard for Stephen Curry. They have addressed that with Steve Blake, but will the move be enough to topple OKC or San Antonio? Even the Houston Rockets would be a hurdle for the Warriors.

Frontcourt help should be their priority this offseason. They missed out at the deadline but they must trade their excess swingmen for defense and rebounding. It's too late this year..Warriors are contenders in 2015.