Every dynasty has a turning point. A moment when the magic that once felt eternal suddenly reveals itself as fleeting. For the Golden State Warriors, that moment did not come when Kevin Durant left for Brooklyn. It did not come when injuries tore through the roster. It did not come when the team failed to make the playoffs.
It came when Klay Thompson walked out the door.
“A part of this era ended when Klay left,” Draymond Green said recently on Candace Parker’s podcast, Post Moves.
That is not a headline designed to generate clicks. That is not manufactured drama. That is the honest, unfiltered admission from the emotional heart of the Warriors dynasty — the player who has been there for every championship, every record, every triumph and every heartbreak.
Green did not frame Thompson’s departure as a collapse. He was careful to acknowledge that much of the infrastructure that made the dynasty possible is still in place. Longtime staffers remain. Assistant coaches who have been part of the organization throughout the glory years are still around. The foundation has not crumbled.
But something changed. Something fundamental. And Green was honest enough to say what everyone in the Bay Area has been feeling but few have been willing to voice.
The Splash Brothers are no more.
Let’s break down what Green’s admission means, where the Warriors go from here, and whether the dynasty that defined a decade still has one more chapter left to write.
Let’s start with a reminder of what the Warriors built.
Four championships. A 73-9 regular season — the best record in NBA history. A style of play that revolutionized the game, turning the three-point shot from a weapon into a philosophy. Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green were the constants. The core that grew together, won together, and defined an era.
2015: The first title. A young core announced itself to the world.
2016: The 73-win season, followed by a heartbreaking Finals loss to LeBron James and the Cavaliers.
2017 & 2018: Two more rings with Kevin Durant, transforming a great team into an unstoppable force.
2019: Injuries to Durant and Thompson derailed a three-peat bid.
2022: The final triumph. Without Durant, without Thompson for part of the season, Curry, Green, and a resurgent Golden State team climbed the mountain one last time.
That is the resume of a dynasty. And at the center of it all were three players who complemented each other perfectly: Curry’s gravity, Thompson’s shooting, Green’s defensive genius and playmaking.
Thompson’s departure to the Dallas Mavericks in the summer of 2024 was not a surprise. The signs had been there for years. Injuries had robbed him of two full seasons. He was no longer the same defender who had shut down opposing stars in the 2019 Finals. His shooting was still elite, but his consistency had waned.
The Warriors faced a difficult decision: pay Thompson what he wanted, or let him walk. They let him walk.
It was a business decision. It was a basketball decision. But it was also a symbolic one. The Splash Brothers — arguably the greatest shooting backcourt in NBA history — were no longer a pair.
Green acknowledged the shift without bitterness. He did not blame Thompson. He did not blame the front office. He simply stated a fact: something changed when Klay left.
Let’s look closely at Green’s exact words on Candace Parker’s podcast.
“A part of this era ended when Klay left.”
Embed X: https://twitter.com/MikeACurtis2/status/2043538627687244218
That is the key phrase. Not “the era ended.” Not “the dynasty is over.” “A part of this era ended.”
Green was careful to acknowledge that much of what made the Warriors special is still present. He pointed out that many of the people who helped build this run — from longtime staffers to assistant coaches — are still around. The culture has not disappeared. The foundation has not crumbled.
But the chemistry that defined the Warriors at their peak — the unique alchemy of Curry’s off-ball movement, Thompson’s catch-and-shoot brilliance, and Green’s connective passing — was built on all three players. Remove one, and the equation changes.
Thompson’s absence is not just about the 18 points per game he provided. It is about the spacing he created. The defensive attention he commanded. The emotional stability he brought to a locker room that has always been defined by Green’s intensity and Curry’s calm.
“A part of this era ended.” That is the truth. And Green was honest enough to say it.
The Warriors reached the second round of the playoffs in the 2024-25 season without Thompson. That was a success by most measures. They overachieved. They competed. They proved that they were still a relevant team.
The 2025-26 season was a different story. Jimmy Butler arrived with high expectations. Injuries to both Butler and Curry derailed any chance of a deep playoff run. The Warriors finished 37-45 and missed the playoffs entirely.
Was Thompson’s departure the cause of the decline? Not directly. Injuries played a bigger role. But the margin for error had shrunk. In the past, the Warriors could absorb injuries because they had depth, chemistry, and an identity that carried them through. Without Thompson, that identity was fractured.
Green’s admission is not an excuse. It is an explanation.
Thompson is still under contract with the Dallas Mavericks. He has one year remaining on his deal. In comments from early April, he was asked whether he anticipated being in Dallas next season. His answer was telling:
“That’s a hard hitter. I’m not sure. I’m under contract so I do, but I’ve definitely learned in my time in Dallas that things can change on a dime.”
That is not a player who is confidently planning his future in Texas. That is a player who has learned that NBA loyalties are temporary and that situations can shift quickly.
Could Thompson return to Golden State? It is possible. The Warriors have a need for shooting. They have a need for veteran leadership. They have a need for the emotional stability that Thompson provides.
But a reunion would require Thompson to accept a reduced role. He is no longer an elite defender. He is no longer a 35-minute-per-game player. He is a specialist now — a shooter who can provide spacing and scoring in short bursts.
Would Thompson accept that? Would the Warriors even want him back? Those are questions for another day.
The Warriors are heading into an offseason full of uncertainty.
Steve Kerr’s future is unresolved. He has been the head coach since 2014. He has won four championships. But he may be ready for a break.
Draymond Green has a player option. He can opt out and become a free agent. He has said he wants to stay, but the financial details matter.
Stephen Curry is 38 years old. He is still elite, but his window is closing.
The dynasty is not dead. But it is different. The Warriors can still compete. They can still make the playoffs. They can still, with the right breaks, make a deep run.
But they are no longer the juggernaut they once were. The aura of invincibility is gone. The fear that opponents once felt when they saw the Golden State jersey has diminished.
Green’s admission is a recognition of that reality. A part of this era ended when Klay left. The rest of the era is still playing out. But it is playing out on different terms.
Let’s not lose sight of what the Warriors built.
Four championships. Six Finals appearances. A 73-win season. A style of play that changed the NBA forever. And at the center of it all, three players who complemented each other perfectly: Curry, Thompson, and Green.
The era is not over. Curry is still playing. Green is still competing. The Warriors are still a franchise that attracts talent and commands respect.
But a part of it ended when Klay left. And it is okay to acknowledge that. Dynasties do not last forever. The Bulls dynasty ended. The Lakers dynasty ended. The Spurs dynasty ended. The Warriors dynasty will end too.
But not yet. Not while Curry is still on the court. Not while Green is still quarterbacking the defense. Not while the organization that built this run is still in place.
A part of this era ended. But the era itself is still being written.
Draymond Green has never been one to hide his feelings. He has never been one to sugarcoat the truth. He has always spoken his mind, whether about teammates, opponents, or the state of his own team.
So when he says “a part of this era ended when Klay left,” it is worth listening.
Green did not say the dynasty is over. He did not say the Warriors cannot compete. He simply acknowledged a truth that everyone in the Bay Area has felt but few have been willing to voice: something changed when Klay Thompson walked out the door.
The Splash Brothers are no more. The chemistry that defined the Warriors at their peak has been altered. The margin for error is smaller. The challenges are greater.
But Curry is still here. Green is still here. The foundation is still intact.
A part of the era ended. That is honest. That is accurate. But the era itself continues.
The Warriors have an offseason of uncertainty ahead. Kerr’s future. Green’s option. The search for the next piece to put alongside Curry.
One thing is certain: the Warriors are not done yet. And as long as Curry is on the court, they will have a chance.
A part of this era ended when Klay left. But the Warriors are still fighting. And that is what dynasties do.