For over a decade, the NBA has been ruled by a trio of superstars: LeBron James, Steph Curry, and Kevin Durant. Their dominance has defined an era, with championship rings, MVP awards, and highlight-reel performances etching their names into basketball history. However, the 2025 NBA Playoffs signal a seismic shift, as the league appears to be passing the torch to a new generation of stars. This year’s Western Conference Finals, featuring the Oklahoma City Thunder led by 26-year-old Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Minnesota Timberwolves led by 23-year-old Anthony Edwards, underscores this changing of the guard.
The Timberwolves, under Edwards’ leadership, made a bold statement in the playoffs. They dismantled LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round, sending shockwaves through the league. Not content with toppling one giant, they went on to defeat a revamped Golden State Warriors team featuring Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler in the second round. These victories were not just wins—they were declarations of a new era.
Boston Celtics legend and former NBA champion Paul Pierce didn’t mince words when discussing this transition. “This is the signal of the end of an era now,” Pierce said on a recent broadcast. He pointed to the playoff performances as evidence that the league is moving on from the Curry-James-Durant era. “This is what happened this year: You had Jimmy Butler go to Golden State and crack the window open to where you was like, ‘oh, it might be a slight chance, the window still open.’ You had Luka [Doncic] go to the Lakers and say, ‘hold on, they cracked the window back open for this era.’ But these young kids were like, ‘nope. Bron, Steph, KD, appreciate y’all. This our moment now.’ And they closed the window on the old era.”
Pierce’s comments highlight the rise of young teams like the Thunder, Timberwolves, New York Knicks, and Indiana Pacers, none of which are led by the veteran superstars who have long dominated the league. The Oklahoma City Thunder, the youngest team in the NBA, have emerged as heavy favorites to win the 2025 championship, driven by Gilgeous-Alexander’s poise and a roster brimming with youthful energy. Meanwhile, Edwards and the Timberwolves have proven they can hang with—and defeat—the best of the old guard.
No Bron, KD or Steph in the picture? Looks like the new era has finally arrived 📈 pic.twitter.com/z62Z0OLSrM
— All the Smoke (@allthesmokeprod) May 28, 2025
The absence of veteran-led teams in the Conference Finals is a clear sign that the NBA’s landscape is shifting. As LeBron James, now in the twilight of his career, and Steph Curry, whose revolutionary shooting changed the game, approach retirement, the league is in desperate need of new faces to carry the mantle. Gilgeous-Alexander, Edwards, and other young stars are stepping up, ready to define the next chapter of NBA history.
Pierce’s blunt assessment serves as a wake-up call: the era of Curry, James, and Durant is fading, and the young guns are here to stay. As the Thunder and Timberwolves battle it out, the message is clear—the NBA’s future is now, and it belongs to the new generation.