The basketball community believed the Golden State Warriors dynasty had come to an end after Kevin Durant left the team in 2019. A few years later, they proved the world wrong and won another championship in 2022. However, following the departure of franchise staples such as Klay Thompson and Kevon Looney, the team doesn’t evoke the same level of fear it once did in opponents. NBA legend Paul Pierce doesn’t even believe teams respect the Warriors anymore.
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Similar to the San Antonio Spurs of the 2000s, teams had to respect the Warriors. Their playstyle catered to the skillset of Stephen Curry, along with elite surrounding talent such as Draymond Green, Klay Thompson, Andre Iguodala and others, led to the birth of a Goliath.
Even when the Warriors were in their down years, as long as Curry was on the court, teams respected them. Fast forward a few years, and although Curry is still playing at an All-NBA level, his production isn’t equating to wins.
Golden State is currently one game under .500 with a 14-15 record. During the off season, they had brought in Jimmy Butler to serve as a secondary star alongside Curry but, it hasn’t sparked the level of success the team would’ve hoped for
Before, the Warriors were the team ahead of the curve; now they seem like the team behind it. As a result, Pierce believes the rest of the league’s outlook on the Warriors has changed drastically.
“I just think teams ain’t going to respect them like they did in the past,” Pierce said on Ticket & The Truth. “When you used to play Golden State, it was a fear factor. I think that fear factor is gone.”
Pierce knows very well how fearful the Warriors were. After all, he was in the NBA during the height of the team’s dynasty. However, the past is in the past. The NBA will not wait for a team to adjust.
In the years since their prime, the Warriors have refused to develop younger players. Consequently, they have one of the oldest cores in NBA history. Athletically, they are lacking, especially in comparison to the rest of the league. All of these things together is a recipe for disaster. It doesn’t help that Golden State has made a slew of mistakes regarding its roster construction leading up to this point.
“They messed up because when you don’t take a LaMelo Ball, or you don’t take an Anthony Edwards, you messed up your transition into the next,” Pierce proclaimed.
Their fumble of the 2nd overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft has widely been overlooked due to their 2022 title. However, it’s hard for the Warriors to hide behind that championship any longer. Changes will need to happen very soon. Or else Curry’s last few years in the league won’t result in winning basketball.
