The Golden State Warriors once commanded respect across the NBA like few teams in league history. From the moment Stephen Curry started pulling up from 30 feet with ease, to the dynasty years alongside Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Kevin Durant, they weren’t just a great team - they were a movement. But now, in the 2025-26 season, that aura of invincibility is fading fast.
The Warriors are sitting one game below .500 with a 14-15 record, and the fear they used to strike into opponents just isn’t there anymore. That’s not just fan chatter - it’s coming from someone who’s been on the other side of that dominance. NBA legend Paul Pierce recently weighed in on the state of the franchise, and he didn’t hold back.
“I just think teams ain’t going to respect them like they did in the past,” Pierce said during an appearance on Ticket & The Truth. “When you used to play Golden State, it was a fear factor. I think that fear factor is gone.”
It’s a bold statement, but it’s hard to argue with the sentiment. For years, the Warriors were the team that dictated the rhythm of the league.
Their style - fast-paced, three-point heavy, and built around Curry’s gravity - forced everyone else to adjust. They were the blueprint.
But now? They look like they’re trying to catch up to a league that’s already moved on.
Sure, Curry is still playing at an All-NBA level. The numbers are there, the shot-making is still elite, and his conditioning remains top-tier.
But the results aren’t following. The Warriors brought in Jimmy Butler this offseason to give Curry a co-star, someone who could shoulder some of the offensive burden and bring toughness on the defensive end.
So far, that move hasn’t translated into wins.
The bigger issue, though, might be structural. Golden State has leaned heavily on its veteran core for years, and while that continuity brought them four championships, it’s now starting to show its age. The team is one of the oldest in the league, and the lack of athleticism is becoming more and more apparent - especially when matched up against younger, faster, more dynamic rosters.
And that leads to one of the most glaring missteps in recent years: the 2020 NBA Draft. The Warriors had the second overall pick - a rare opportunity for a title-contending team to reload with a future star.
But instead of grabbing a franchise-changing talent like LaMelo Ball or Anthony Edwards, they went in a different direction. According to Pierce, that decision is still haunting them.
“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,” he said.
It’s a harsh truth, but one that’s hard to ignore. The 2022 title may have papered over some of those long-term concerns, but the cracks are now fully visible.
The Warriors didn’t build a bridge to the next generation - they doubled down on what worked in the past. And now, they’re paying the price.
The Warriors of the mid-2010s were a juggernaut. They changed the way basketball was played. But dynasties don’t last forever, and unless Golden State finds a way to retool - and fast - Curry’s final years could be spent chasing something that’s no longer within reach.
The league isn’t waiting. The Warriors used to be the team everyone feared.
Now? They’re just another team trying to keep up.