Amico: It’s time for woeful Warriors to gut the team

These aren’t your uncle’s Warriors. They are a shell of themselves.

It’s hard to believe this is the same franchise that won its fourth championship in 2022. That last title was a little bit of a surprise and fairly inspirational, given that Golden State did it without the departed Kevin Durant.

But it also served as the beginning of the end for the modern-day hoops dynasty.

Nowadays, the Warriors are getting booed off their own court, and deservedly so. The NBA gifted the Warriors a seven-game homestand, as it’s very important to league interests that the Warriors and Lakers do well. 

A seven-game homestand is one way for a team to get its act together, get back in the news, and have the media and fans saying that the said team is again a force. Other than LeBron James, Warriors star Steph Curry is the league’s most marketable player. So yeah, the NBA wants the Warriors to stay relevant.

Well, the Warriors went 2-5 on that homestand. Not even the schedule-maker’s holiday present could save them. And the final game of the homestand was a blowout loss to the Pelicans — a game in which the Warriors trailed by 41 points.

Curry played. So did Klay Thompson. So did everyone except Draymond Green, who has become both his own and his franchise’s worst enemy.

Green remains a contributing player and truly is a nice, personable guy off the court. The latter explains the media’s utter forgiveness of him. But the Warriors shouldn’t forgive him any longer, because Green is a big reason why the Warriors currently stink.

As for Thompson, as Cavs legend (and former Warriors guard) Mark Price told me on his recent podcast, there’s been a noticeable drop-off. Thompson will still have one of those throwback shooting nights and even all-around performances. But more often than not, he looks like a guy who should be coming off a good team’s bench.

That is the Warriors’ Big Three and the men most responsible for the Warriors’ six Finals appearances and four championships since 2015.

Newsflash: They won’t be leading the Warriors to another. Not unless you move the pieces around them and the likes of Thompson and Green play deep supporting roles. Green can do that. Can Thompson? Not likely.

Thompson has an extremely moveable contract that expires at the end of the season. That makes him a natural trade candidate in today’s NBA. As much as it would hurt, it’s a move the Warriors must make.

If they refuse, it just shows they aren’t serious about anything beyond clinging to the past.

Others can go as well: Andrew Wiggins, Kevon Looney, oft-injured Gary Payton II and the point god formerly known as Chris Paul are all cherished, but in reality just sort of … well, there. They make little difference in terms of wins and losses. Obviously.

This leads us to coach Steve Kerr. His contract is also up after the season. The Warriors should keep him, as Kerr is also among the faces of a golden era. But he may want to move on. Who knows? It would be understandable if the sides parted ways.

After all, it was a historic run and these Warriors will go down in NBA lore. But that run is over. As The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported, first-year GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. and the Warriors are open for business.

Golden State needs to begin again. It’s tough, but it must be done. And the Warriors can either start now or wait until the offseason when the massive fall from grace is complete. Doing it now would be painful, yes, but probably not as painful as what the Warriors will have to endure the rest of the way.

• Related | Shams: All Warriors except Curry available in trade talks

Man, this is a tough way to go out. But Warriors as we once knew them will soon be no more. Very soon. Can’t imagine Klay will be back. Can’t trade Draymond. Never would trade Curry. Kerr? Big question mark. https://t.co/Jgx5HYl13u

— Sam Amico (@AmicoHoops) January 11, 2024