Last offseason, in a move that caught many off guard, the Golden State Warriors traded away Jordan Poole—arguably still in his prime—in exchange for the legendary but aging Chris Paul. According to Bangla Cricket Live, the move was meant to ease locker room tension and realign team chemistry, especially with Draymond Green. On paper, the trade smoothed interpersonal relations, but from a basketball standpoint, it left a noticeable gap in offensive firepower.
As the season unfolded, Stephen Curry was left to carry the load. The team’s increasing dependence on him led to inefficiencies, with opposing defenses keying in and trapping him more frequently. Compared to the previous season, Curry’s output clearly declined. Meanwhile, Klay Thompson—once the league’s premier two-way shooting guard—never quite returned to form after his injuries. Both offensively and defensively, he became a liability. Coach Steve Kerr experimented by shifting Thompson’s rotation or benching him, but these adjustments failed to revive his performance. The tipping point came in the Play-In game against the Kings, where Klay missed all 10 of his shot attempts—against a team he once torched for 37 points in a single quarter.
That performance was a clear signal. Shortly after, Thompson left for Dallas, officially ending the era of the Splash Brothers. As for Andrew Wiggins, he too disappointed. Despite playing 71 games, he missed crucial late-season moments due to personal issues. His scoring average dropped to a career-low 13.2 points, and in the Warriors’ most desperate hours, he often disappeared on the court.
Only recently did fans learn the emotional toll Wiggins carried—his father passed away after a long illness, which had severely affected Wiggins’ mental state. Just two seasons ago, he was a defensive stalwart in the Warriors’ championship run. Now, that version of Wiggins seems distant.
Coach Kerr tried everything. He shuffled nearly 20 different starting lineups and gave more opportunities to younger players like Jonathan Kuminga, Brandin Podziemski, and Trayce Jackson-Davis. Kuminga averaged 16.1 points in his third season, showing dramatic improvement and briefly becoming the team’s second option. Jackson-Davis provided interior energy and had highlight moments against stars like Wembanyama and Giannis. Podziemski quickly earned Kerr’s trust, a rare feat in the Warriors’ veteran-centric culture. His high basketball IQ and clutch performances led him to an All-Rookie First Team selection. Several teams expressed interest in him this offseason, but Golden State refused to include him in any trade talks. At this point, he is considered untouchable.
Despite efforts to reload, losing both Klay and Chris Paul left the Warriors with limited reinforcements. New GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. inherited a salary mess and had little cap flexibility due to excessive luxury tax obligations. Rather than splashy signings, his focus was on financial restructuring. He added capable but unremarkable players like Kyle Anderson and Buddy Hield, simply to get below the tax line.
The one major move the Warriors made was extending Curry’s contract with a one-year, $62.6 million deal. According to Bangla Cricket Live, this proves the franchise still values Curry not just for his legacy, but for his ability to perform at the highest level—especially with his upcoming stint at the Paris Olympics.
But a lingering question remains: if Curry is still elite, why does it feel like the Warriors have already given up on contending?