The Golden State Warriors‘ season is finished, but they still represent greatness.
It's accurate to call the remaining team in the Bay Area the leftovers of a dynasty. The Dubs have missed the real playoffs in three of the last five seasons — two through Play-In Tournament losses and a third (2019-20) because Klay Thompson didn't play that season and Steph Curry only appeared in five games due to injury.
However, it's important to note that Golden State won a championship in between their playoff absences (2021-22,) and the franchise still has one of the top 10 players in the NBA on its roster in Curry.
Curry reminded his teammate Draymond Green of these facts with a strong three-word message in the locker room at the Golden 1 Center on the night of Monday, April 15, when their NorCal rival the Sacramento Kings ended the Warriors’ playoff hopes in the 118-94 rout No. 9 vs. No. 10 NBA Play-In Tournament game in the Western Conference.
Green shared what Curry told him on “The Draymond Green Show” podcast on Friday.
“Right after the game in the Kings locker room, I said, ‘I love you, bro.’ He’s like, ‘I love you, too. We ain’t done,'” Green recounted.
Curry’s “we ain’t done” comment struck Green, which he went on to explain.
“You right. Got it. Noted. Cool, we ain’t. You right,” Green continued. “So, to think that, like, we’ve done these things — I love it. And we not done.”
Draymond Green Bears Brunt of Blame for Warriors’ Season Ending Early
GettyDraymond Green of the Golden State Warriors defends Keegan Murray of the Sacramento Kings during an NBA Play-In Tournament game in April 2024.
Counting the Warriors out completely as contenders going forward may indeed be foolishness, particularly if Green can stay on the floor.
Golden State ended the year with a record of 46-36, just three wins short of the No. 6 seed and an exemption from the Play-In Tournament. Green missed 27 of the team’s 82 games over the regular season, including 22 due to multiple suspensions for on-court misconduct.
Tim Bontemps of ESPN roasted Green following the Dubs’ loss to the Kings via the “Brian Windhorst & The Hoop Collective” podcast, which came out the day following the game.
This night is Draymond Green’s fault. And this season is Draymond Green’s fault. If you wanna say, “Why are the Warriors losing today?” It’s all his fault.
This team has dealt with his nonsense for a long time. And has excused it over and over again, as we all know, for years. When he played this year, they were 33-22. When he didn’t, they were 13-14. They went 10-11 in the 21 games he missed with the two suspensions and whatever they called the … return-to-play process after he came back. If they win three of those games they’re not in the Play-In [Tournament]. They’re in the fifth or sixth seed, might be higher, we’re not even talking about them today.
Warriors Could Be Better Next Year Without Klay Thompson, or With Him on Reduced Contract
GettyKlay Thompson of the Golden State Warriors.
While Green may be the main cause of the Warriors’ problems this past season, it was Thompson who came up short in the Dubs’ final 48 minutes of play.
Thompson ended the night in Sacramento with a terrible 0-for-10 shooting and no points in what could possibly have been his last game in a Golden State uniform. The shooting guard’s peers spoke of the good years he still has left in the NBA and said, unanimously, that they want him back in the Bay Area next season.
That could be a positive outcome for the Warriors, but it will depend on the cost. Thompson made more than $43.2 million for his efforts in 2023-24, which was among the weakest seasons of his 13-year career — two of which he missed completely due to injuries.
Golden State may be interested in a new contract for Thompson at an average yearly pay of less than $20 million, although it's uncertain if Thompson would be interested in such an offer.
If not, or if the Dubs believe they should invest their money elsewhere, the team may not be finished yet — as Curry indicated to Green. However, the era of the trio that brought four championships to the organization and its city over an eight-year period will come to an end, signifying the end of the dynasty.
