The Golden State Warriors are no longer the center of the NBA universe - not even close. Once the standard-bearers of modern basketball dominance, they now find themselves drifting in the middle of the Western Conference pack, a far cry from the dynasty that once redefined the game.
Look around the West. Oklahoma City has arrived - not just knocking on the door, but changing the locks.
Houston’s young core is turning heads with a blend of athleticism and defensive grit. Denver remains a title machine, and San Antonio has a generational talent in Victor Wembanyama, who’s already reshaping the Spurs' future.
Meanwhile, Golden State? They’ve become the background music - familiar, even comforting, but no longer the headliner.
The Warriors aren’t chasing titles, and no one’s chasing them. They’re not the hunters or the hunted.
They’re just… there. And if mediocrity is the reality, maybe it’s time to embrace it in a way that feels right - not just for the fans, but for the franchise’s soul.
That starts with one move: bring Klay Thompson home.
Seeing Thompson in a Dallas Mavericks jersey feels off - like watching your favorite band’s guitarist playing backup for someone else. The number 31 on his back doesn’t just look strange - it feels wrong.
And when the Mavericks roll into Chase Center on Christmas Day, it’ll hit even harder. This wasn’t supposed to be the way it ended.
So why not make it right?
Golden State’s current problems aren’t going to be solved with one move - or even a handful. This roster isn’t one tweak away from contending. But what they can do is pivot to something more honest: acknowledge that the “two timelines” experiment didn’t work, and give Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and yes, Klay Thompson, the closing chapter they’ve earned.
Here’s what that could look like:
- Warriors receive: Klay Thompson and a waived player from Chicago
- Bulls receive: Jonathan Kuminga
- Mavericks receive: Coby White
Let’s be clear - this isn’t the kind of trade that vaults the Warriors back into the contender conversation. They’re not leapfrogging the Thunder or Celtics with this move.
But no trade involving Kuminga is going to do that. His value around the league has dipped, and the Warriors have held onto the “potential” label for years now, hoping for a breakout that just hasn’t materialized.
Kuminga has now logged more games in a Warriors jersey than Kevin Durant or Andrew Bogut ever did. And despite all the athleticism and flashes, he’s become a fringe rotation player on a .500 team. That’s not the kind of asset that draws a blockbuster return.
So maybe it’s time to accept that. Take the L. Move forward.
Thompson, even in his diminished state, gives the Warriors something they desperately need: reliable, high-volume three-point shooting to complement Curry. This team creates open looks - they just haven’t had the right players to knock them down.
Klay can still do that. He’s not the lockdown defender he once was, but he doesn’t need to be.
He just needs to provide spacing, rhythm, and familiarity.
And more than anything, he gives the Warriors their identity back.
From a basketball standpoint, he’s an upgrade. From a franchise standpoint, he’s a restoration.
This isn’t about chasing rings anymore - it’s about closing out an era with dignity. Steph, Draymond, and Klay built something special.
They deserve to finish it together.
The Bulls get a swing at a high-upside project in Kuminga, adding him to a young core that includes Josh Giddey and Matas Buzelis. It’s a gamble, sure - but one that fits where Chicago is right now: stuck in the middle and looking for a spark.
Dallas, meanwhile, gets a scoring guard in Coby White who can help balance their offense, whether or not Kyrie Irving is on the floor. It’s a move that supports their timeline, especially with an eye toward the future.
But the real headline here is Golden State. Bringing Klay back isn’t just a sentimental move - it’s a strategic one.
It signals a shift from delusional contention to graceful transition. If the Warriors are going to fade from the title picture, let them do it with purpose, not confusion.
Let the Big Three ride out the twilight of their careers together. Let Steve Kerr, in what could be his final season, coach the players who helped define his legacy. And maybe - just maybe - let the fans say goodbye the right way.
There’s value in nostalgia, sure. But there’s also value in identity, in loyalty, in understanding when the book is ending and choosing to write the final chapter with care.
The Warriors’ two-timeline plan was ambitious. It was also too late.
They tried to patch it up last year with a Jimmy Butler swing, but the league has moved on. The kids are in charge now.
The future is already here - just not in San Francisco.
So instead of chasing ghosts or clinging to what might have been, the Warriors can choose to honor what was. Get the band back together. Let the curtain fall with the right soundtrack.
Bring Klay home. It won’t fix everything. But it might just make the ending feel right.