As Warriors’ dynasty fades, fans won’t see NBA run like this again

When Steve Kerr was considering whether to return as Warriors’ head coach, his wife said something that deeply resonated with him.

“You might coach again someday,” Kerr recalled. “But you’ll never coach the Warriors again.”

Warriors coach Steve Kerr shares a moment with Steph Curry (30) and Draymond Green (center) after Golden State bowed out of the play-in tournament against the Suns. NBAE via Getty Images

Those words struck a chord with Kerr, who signed a two-year contract extension with Golden State last month. Over the last decade, there’s so much that stands out about the league’s modern-day dynasty. 

There are the four championships in eight years. Steph Curry’s unconscious scoring sprees. The Splash Brothers. Draymond Green’s lockdown defense. Shimmies. The “Night Night” celebrations. The joy. 

But above all else, what makes the Warriors unique is their loyalty. 

Kerr has coached Curry and Green for 12 years. Curry and Green have played together for 14 years. Before Klay Thompson left the Warriors in free agency in 2024, he, Curry and Green were the longest-tenured trio in the league. 

It’s remarkable when you think about it. 

In a league with constant turnover — where players don’t hesitate to undercut organizations by requesting trades and franchises deal personnel as though they were used furniture — the Warriors stand out. 

It’s obvious that when Kerr was pondering whether he wanted to remain on the treadmill of marathon NBA seasons, under the scrutiny that accompanies fading dynasties, there were two beacons of light that guided him toward the more difficult option: Curry and Green. 

The three of them are family. 

They’ve been atop the league. They’ve been in its cellar. They’ve fought against each other. They’ve fought for one another. 

Through it all, something was deeply understood: There’s a lot of love there. 

Kerr and Curry have shown up at Green’s house and talked to him for hours when he has struggled. Green has put his body on the line for them. They’ve spent more time together than with their own families, including 152 postseason games since 2015, which is the equivalent of nearly two extra NBA seasons. 

Green (23), Curry and Kerr have been in 152 postseason games together since 2015. Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Kerr talks about Curry with awe. He describes Green as the best defender he has seen. When Kerr was unsure about his future, Green said he hoped he’d return. Curry added that all he wants is for him to be happy. 

“He knows how I feel about him,” Curry told reporters in April. “That shouldn’t even need to be said.”

Green’s relationship with Kerr is more nuanced.

---

Download The California Post App, follow us on social, and subscribe to our newsletters

They’ve had public outbursts. They’ve had screaming matches behind closed doors. The Warriors’ success was inextricably tied to Green’s fire and sometimes it raged, clashing with Kerr’s infamous intensity. 

“There’s things he’s done that I could never forgive him for,” Green said of Kerr on his podcast, “The Draymond Green Show.” “And yet I will do anything for him.”

As for Curry and Green, they basically grew up together. They became winners together. They watched each other become fathers. Green’s job was to ignite passion, while Curry’s was to remain effortlessly unbothered. They became each other’s ultimate complements on the court.  

Nowadays, it’s wild for a coach and players to have that kind of staying power together. 

There are only two NBA coaches who have held their jobs for at least five years, Kerr and the Heat’s Erik Spoelstra. 

As for Curry and Green, they’re the NBA’s longest-tenured active duo. They’ve played together longer than many of the most famous duos in NBA history, such as Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen (11 years) and Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (10 years).

Kerr recently signed a two-year contract extension to stay with the Warriors. NBAE via Getty Images

Things are now greatly shifting for the Warriors.

For the first time in Green’s career, he was involved in trade rumors in February. He’s 36. Curry is 38. Since winning their last championship in 2022, they haven’t gotten past the second round of the playoffs.

But this much is sure: The bond between Kerr, Curry and Green runs deep. That was never more palpable than when they feared their days together were coming to an end. 

After their season was derailed by Jimmy Butler suffering a torn ACL in January and Curry missing 27 straight games because of an ailing knee, their playoff hopes came down to a pair of play-in games. 

In their do-or-die contest against the Clippers, Curry and Green showed their championship DNA, stunningly clawing their way back from a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit in a 126-121 win. 

Curry had 35 points on 7-for-12 shooting from beyond the arc, including making a step-back 3-pointer with 50.4 seconds left and the score knotted at 117. 

Curry had 35 points on 7-for-12 shooting from beyond the arc, including making a step-back 3-pointer with 50.4 seconds left and the score knotted at 117.  NBAE via Getty Images

Green held Kawhi Leonard to 1-for-2 shooting in the fourth quarter, leaving the two-time NBA champion completely flummoxed. “It was hard to even get shots up,” Leonard said. 

After a slog of a season, Kerr overflowed with pride at something that had been reawakened in some of the greatest competitors on the planet. 

“For one night, we’re us,” he said. “We’re champions again.”

The magic was gone in the Warriors’ next play-in game, as their season flatlined in a 111-96 loss to the Suns. 

After the final buzzer, Kerr put his arms around Curry and Green. He said a few words. And then the three men who had been through nearly a decade and a half of battles together shared a hug. 

IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“I don’t know what’s going to happen next,” Kerr told them. “But I love you guys to death.”

Weeks of uncertainty followed. Did Kerr want to return? Did the Warriors’ long-term goals clash with his win-now approach? Did we just witness the official end of one of the greatest dynasties in sports history?

But ultimately, Kerr decided to return for his 13th season with Curry and Green. 

The Warriors haven’t been contenders for four years. Their goal post has shifted from championship or bust to trying to see how far they can take things together. If they’re all healthy, they believe no one would want to face them.

And they’re not wrong. 

It’s hard to walk away from that. It’s difficult to close the door on such a stunning chapter. 

But as Kerr pondered his options, his wife reminded him of the ultimate reason he decided not to walk away. 

He wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Curry and Green.