Draymond Green admits Warriors' dynasty era ended when Klay Thompson left
Draymond Green admits Warriors' dynasty era ended when Klay Thompson left originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Draymond Green is nothing if not honest, and his latest assessment of where the Warriors ’ dynasty stands is no exception.
Appearing on the “Post Moves” podcast with hosts Candace Parker and Aliyah Boston, Green offered his thoughts on Golden State’s run nearing its end and admitted that the departure of a key cog was the first brick to fall.
“A part of this era ended when Klay [Thompson ] left,” Green told Parker and Boston, referencing Thompson’s choice to leave the Warriors in free agency after the 2023-24 NBA season. “When Klay left, [the team was] a little different.”
Since Thompson opted to leave, the Warriors have been an NBA play-in tournament team for two consecutive seasons and don’t appear close to championship contention. Though stars like Steph Curry , Jimmy Butler and Green are still effective, injuries and lackluster drafts have doomed the team in recent years, and Steve Kerr ’s desire to return as head coach remains in doubt.
Green maintained a proper perspective, however, and pointed out that what is happening to the Warriors also happened to other all-time great squads.
“You look at the dynasties that we’ve all seen … the Spurs, four years removed from their last championship they were all gone,” Green said. “The Chicago Bulls … those guys were gone one year after their last championship, they were done. You look at any of the dynasties, four years … removed from the last championship, they weren’t still like, ‘Man, we’ve still got chances to do it.’”
Green also noted that the three biggest figures still in the building — he, Curry and Kerr — aren’t fooling themselves when it comes to Golden State’s immediate title chances.
“A part of this being such a great partnership amongst our ownership group and front office and Steve and Steph and myself, a part of it is also being real,” Green explained. “You can’t be delusional and think that the partnership is great because there’s going to be someone else on the other side of that partnership like, ‘Are these f–kers delusional?’
“As long as all of us can stay real with where we are in this, then the partnership remains great.”
