The Golden State Warriors appear to be nearing the end of their dynasty. After a disastrous season in which they lost the NBA play-in tournament, the club might look significantly different the next season. The Warriors can learn from the end of the San Francisco Giants dynasty.

The Golden State Warriors can learn from the end of the San Francisco Giants dynasty.

Over the past decade, the Golden State Warriors have won four NBA championships. This covers the four they won throughout an eight-year period. It was a spectacular run, with Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green at the center of it all. However, it appears that the team’s championship days are behind it. The hardest part of ending a dynasty is deciding when to move on. The Warriors appear to be closer to a decision than ever before.

They won the NBA Finals two seasons ago over the Boston Celtics, but they were knocked out of the playoffs by the Lakers last season and then fell to the Kings in the play-in this season, causing them to miss the playoffs.

The Warriors have showed flashes of their championship days in recent years. Curry has been consistently outstanding, but Green’s on-court antics have been unpredictable, and Thompson’s play has been extremely uneven. Furthermore, Thompson suffered two big league injuries. You have to wonder how that affects him now.

Thompson is a free agent, so the Warriors have an option. They can re-sign Thompson and try to have Steph, Draymond, and Klay all conclude their NBA careers with the same team. This would be the nostalgic play, but it is definitely not the best option for the squad at this time.

The Giants faced a similar situation in the late 2010s. Obviously, these were completely different situations. The Giants had been out of the World Series for several years, but its star, Madison Bumgarner, was a free agent following the 2019 season. He was still throwing well for the team, but the front staff had to decide if it was worthwhile to sign the big lefty back to a lucrative contract.
Farhan Zaidi ultimately decided against the sentimental move and let Bumgarner leave in free agency. He went on to sign a large contract with the Diamondbacks, but he underperformed and was released before the end of his term. Zaidi made the right decision, even though it was unpopular at the time.

Similarly, the 49ers dynasty of the 1980s lost several of its great players. Joe Montana, Ronnie Lott, and Jerry Rice were all traded but did not retire with the franchise.

For the Warriors, it appears that only Steph Curry will remain untouchable heading into the offseason. The Warriors’ competitive window still runs through him. The same may not be true for Thompson or Green. If the Warriors want to return to contention, they must make sound, rational decisions that are not motivated by nostalgia.

They must do what is best for the club, and they can learn from the Giants’ experience as their dynasty faded. Of course, they’ll want to avoid doing what the Giants did, which was to run the same core and hope for different results at the end. This is a critical offseason for Golden State, and they don’t have to look far to see how to go.