The Golden State Warriors’ 2024 season came to a disappointing end in April following a loss against the Sacramento Kings. There were serious concerns throughout the season as to how the Warriors could improve their roster in terms of depth and height, and the rising tension surrounding star shooting guard Klay Thompson’s expiring contract.
Thompson played for the Golden State Warriors since he was drafted in 2011, is known as one of the best shooters in NBA history, and has won four championships with the Warriors. Thompson’s contract was set to expire in the offseason, but he rejected the Warriors’ proposed $48 million two-year extension last summer. While some fans began to suspect that Thompson would leave the team, they still held onto the hope that he would stay.
Thompson’s departure took fans by shock: the team they had grown to love over the past decade was now completely changing, leaving a hole in the beloved Warriors organization and in their fans’ hearts.
This July, Thompson announced that he had signed a three-year, $50 million contract with the Dallas Mavericks to join forces with powerhouse guards Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving. Thompson’s departure took fans by shock: the team they had grown to love over the past decade was now completely changing, leaving a hole in the beloved Warriors organization and in their fans’ hearts. “It’s hard for Thompson to walk out like that and leave the team to rebuild and try to find what they lost,” senior Hayden Frye said. Thompson’s departure also pointed to a need for roster changes.
This summer’s NBA draft was widely seen as weak, with very little all-star caliber talent. With the 52nd pick, the Warriors selected Quinten Post from Boston College. The seven-foot center should bring the Warriors much needed height, but won’t be enough. In today’s league, height dominates—if the Warriors want to be serious contenders, they must add more depth to their roster.
Shortly after waiving Chris Paul, the Warriors signed shooting guard De’Anthony Melton who has the potential to be another bucket maker to support point guard Stephen Curry and power forward Jonathan Kuminga.
The Warriors also acquired shooting guard Buddy Hield and small forward Kyle Anderson in a six-team trade. Hield averaged 12.1 points a game on the Philadelphia 76ers last season and is expected to fit into the Warriors’ shooting-based playstyle. Joined by small forward Kyle Anderson, who is coming off a season with the Timberwolves, these two hope to help lead the Warriors to their fifth championship in a decade.
While this goal may seem unrealistic, Warriors fans at M-A are still hopeful. “As long as Curry and Draymond Green play for the same team, there is a 100% chance that the Warriors reach the finals,” junior Matt Nicholas said. While many M-A Warriors fans remain hopeful, it is still important to acknowledge the very real issues that the team faces.
“Getting used to new combinations of players on the floor is going to be tricky,” math teacher Laurel Simons said. She added that the Warriors must “make sure they come out strong and stay strong.”
After years of success, the Warriors’ downfall has arrived. Although Curry is still playing at an All NBA level and can put up 30 points on any given night, at 36, his end is nearing. Kuminga and shooting guard Brandin Podziemski, who are both young fan favorites, can support Curry’s dominance along with Hield. Despite all this, due to their small size and the insanely talented Western Conference they compete in, there is no way for Golden State to compete with teams like the Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets, 76ers, and Minnesota Timberwolves, who have a stronger roster and a more sustainable rotation.
Draymond Green—the “glue” of the team—still can’t seem to control his temper, which is a liability to the team’s chemistry. Without unity, the talent on their roster won’t reach its full potential and the Warriors are bound to become a lower-seed team, just fighting to make the Play-In for the Playoffs in April. The changes they made this offseason have simply not been enough to compete for a title, and are definitely not enough to maximize Curry’s remaining time.
The Warriors Dynasty has ended as the beloved Curry, Thompson, and Green trio don’t wear the same jerseys anymore. To revive the team before the playoffs, some trades must be made; regardless, fans will never lose their love and belief in the Golden State Warriors and the memories they provided.
