[7] During the off-season, the team acquired second-year center Erick Dampier from the Indiana Pacers,[8][9][10] and Brian Shaw from the Orlando Magic.
[11][12][13] Early into the season, they traded B. J. Armstrong to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for Muggsy Bogues and second-year guard Tony Delk.
Things would get even worse on December 1, 1997, as All-Star guard Latrell Sprewell choked, and assaulted Carlesimo during practice, and was suspended for the remainder of the season, which was 68 games left in the Warriors' schedule.
Without their star guard, the Warriors showed slight improvement before suffering a 14-game losing streak between December and January, and held a miserable 8–37 record at the All-Star break.
[25] At mid-season, the team traded Shaw along with Joe Smith to the Philadelphia 76ers in exchange for Jim Jackson and Clarence Weatherspoon,[26][27][28][29] and acquired Jason Caffey from the Chicago Bulls.