The Golden State Warriors’ season ended not with a fight, but a quiet, familiar fade into the shadows of the Western Conference. With Stephen Curry sidelined by a hamstring injury for most of the series, the Warriors were eliminated in five games by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
For a franchise defined by being among the league’s elite for most of the past decade, the end of the 2024-25 campaign felt heavy, not just because of the loss, but what it could represent for the future. Curry is 37, Green is 35, and Jimmy Butler, acquired in a midseason trade, struggled to live up to the expectations.
For arguably the first time in nearly a decade, Golden State will enter the offseason without a clear path to remain in title contention with a host of younger teams in the West on the rise.
That sobering reality prompted ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith to issue one of his boldest declarations in recent memory.
Stephen A. Smith: ‘This Is It’ for Steph Curry’s Title Hopes in Golden State
Even before Wednesday’s series-ending loss, Smith had seen enough of the Warriors to predict we were watching the end of an era.
“I think we’ve seen the last of Steph Curry as a champion in Golden State,” Smith said on First Take. From there, the longtime analyst pulled no punches in assessing where, how, and why the dynasty unraveled.
Stephen A. Smith:
“I think we've seen the last of Steph Curry as a champion in Golden State.”
(via @FirstTake, h/t @ClutchPoints)pic.twitter.com/mNwBTy32KY
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops)
“I think the second we really, really knew in our hearts this was it was when they didn’t get Kevin Durant to come back,” Smith said. “Remember, they were interested in acquiring Kevin Durant, but he made it clear he didn’t want to go back. And because he didn’t want to go back, Jimmy Butler was the consolation prize.
“We’re looking at Jimmy Butler — we know what he can do — but Jimmy Butler has no problem being Robin. But can you be Batman anymore? The answer is likely no. And then you look at Draymond Green being outplayed by Julius Randle.
“If you’re getting outplayed by Julius Randle and you got a guy in Jimmy Butler climbing up there in age and showing you that although he’s still gifted, on a night-in and night-out basis, he can’t possibly be what he used to be because Father Time has creeped up on him as well.
“Then what choice do you have but to concede that this is it for the Golden State Warriors — unless you can acquire additional talent.”
While failing to convince Durant to run it back with his former squad was a blow, the acquisition of Butler temporarily gave the Warriors a much-needed spark. Butler averaged 17.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists in 30 regular-season games with the franchise. However, the spark didn’t carry over to the postseason.
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Once a blueprint for front offices around the league, the Warriors now face an identity crisis. Their homegrown stars are aging, Butler is showing signs of slowing down, and their young talent, such as Jonathan Kuminga, has mainly been inconsistent.
The Butler trade once felt like a golden opportunity to extend the Warriors’ championship window. Now it feels like the last gasp of a fading dynasty – and maybe, the last genuine chance Curry had to hoist the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
