Steph Curry and the Warriors still believe they can produce chart-topping records.
But one anonymous NBA coach wonders if the Golden State rock-and-roll band is past its prime.
“I was thinking about this the other day,” the coach told Heavy Sports' Steve Bulpett earlier this week (h/t The Dunk Central). “They’re like one of those rock-and-roll bands that’s still touring. They’ve still got their lead singer, and he can still crank it out at a high level. But it’s not the same band as before — and they haven’t had a hit record in a few years.
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“That championship they won against Boston … that’s looking like a lifetime achievement award now. They had the experience and professionalism, and Boston wasn’t ready to deal with that yet.”
For the better part of a decade, Curry and the Warriors were the NBA's biggest show, drawing massive crowds at every road arena they visited.
Golden State still is a marquee attraction for the NBA because of Curry, but the franchise is teetering on the edge of mediocrity.
Following a dynastic run that saw the Warriors win four NBA titles in an eight-year span capped by their improbable 2022 championship, they bowed out to the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round of the 2023 NBA playoffs and lost to the Sacramento Kings in the 2024 Western Conference Play-In Tournament.
Golden State Warriors
The Warriors' fortunes might not improve during the upcoming 2024-25 NBA season, with franchise icon Klay Thompson departing for the Dallas Mavericks.
Buddy Hield, Kyle Anderson and De'Anthony Melton have been added to the fold, but they might not be enough to push the Warriors back into NBA title contenders.
But Curry, who signed a one-year, $62.6 million contract extension for the 2026-27 season, recently told The Athletic's Marcus Thompson II that the goal still is to win.
Whether or not the Warriors can achieve that goal remains to be seen.
But in the eyes of at least one NBA coach, the Warriors' days of winning are behind them.