Micheal Jordan’s Bulls, Kobe, Shaq’s Lakers, Bill Russell Celtics, and Stephen Curry’s Warriors. NBA teams come and go, but some are cemented in NBA history forever. These teams have their footprint in NBA history for the rest of time due to their title as a “dynasty.” Of the last ten years in the NBA, the Golden State Warriors have been to the Finals six times with four wins. They have, time and time again, run through the Western Conference and have assembled multiple “super teams” to run the NBA. 

Last Friday, May 19, 2023, the Golden State Warriors were sent home after a crucial elimination game against the Los Angeles Lakers. The Golden State Warriors, heavily favored to win, received their first series loss in 9 years. Since Steve Kerr’s addition to the team, the Warriors have not lost to a Western Conference team in a seven-game series in over eight years. 

Despite their dominance, “Will the dynasty end?” has bounced around the team for years. Fans have noticed the Warrior’s steady decline since the 2019 Finals loss to the Raptors. In the series, the Warriors would lose in six games and fight injuries dealing with crucial players Klay Thomson and Kevin Durant. Since their Finals run, Thomson has been in and out of the rotation due to injuries, and star player Kevin Durant was traded. After this Finals loss, many people speculated about the inevitable end of the dynasty. Nevertheless, through triumph and error, Stephen Curry and Steve Kerr fought for another NBA championship win in 2022. 

  Now again, fans and sports critics across the nation take their shot at the question, yet none can agree. Due to a critical number of factors, the Warriors Dynasty ended. Through a lack of key players and salary imbalance, Steve Kerr and the front office at Golden State will likely need help this offseason when assembling their once dynasty-level team. 

Basketball analyst Kendrick Perkin stated, “As long as LeBron James is in the West…they (Golden State Warriors) will have to go through them along with many other factors.” He mentioned how star players like Klay Thomson would likely be forced into free agency or take a pay cut. They will also have to decide whether to keep role players who seek free agency and more significant contracts. With this, fans realize how crucial this offseason for the Warriors is. 

Time and time again, throughout the history of the sport, dynasties have been ruined due to a single bad off-season by the front office. Teams like the Chicago Bulls, Los Angeles Lakers, and Boston Celtics were put into shambles after a season of trades, pay cuts, and free agents. However, sports critic Stephen A takes a different approach to the question, commenting on the importance of Stephen Curry. He stated, “Stephen Curry is that dude and four years younger than LeBron.”

Too many players on the roster will face trade or new contracts that will heavily inflict upon this team in the following years. With Curry’s growing age and career coming to an end, the team will likely be plagued with injuries. Also, trading role players will heavily tarnish the team’s core. 

The NBA’s long history of dynasties has watched them come and go. The Golden State Warriors reign of terror over the league has shown once again that all good things must end. Their dominance has affected the NBA in several ways, but will they continue to at a high level, or will they be left in the dust like franchises before them? The word dynasty in the NBA has meaning and significance behind it. The word sparks memories of teams that dominated the league. The Golden State Warriors’ dominance of the NBA is over and will be simply left as memories in our heads.