After failing to make the playoffs despite a relatively healthy and productive season from two-time MVP Stephen Curry, it's clear the Golden State Warriors can't run it back with the same main core again.
Change is inevitable, but the debate now centers on how close the Warriors are to jumping back into genuine contention and reviving a dynasty that many believe is officially over.
A blockbuster trade and savvy free agent signing could see the Golden State Warriors return towards the top of the Western Conference
Golden State's 10th-place finish in the West and their disastrous Play-In Tournament defeat to the Sacramento Kings would suggest they're a mile from the likes of the Denver Nuggets and Minnesota Timberwolves.
However, it shouldn't be forgotten that the Warriors did finish with a 46-36 record, including a 27-12 record over the final 39 games of the season. They were one of the best teams in NBA history to not make the playoffs, though the same could be said for the Kings who went on to lose to the New Orleans Pelicans.
The Warriors are more than one move away, needing to utilize both free agency and the trade market to retool a roster that evidently needs more support around Curry. That won't be easy given the financial restrictions upon them, yet Golden State do possess young assets and almost all their future picks that places them in position to trade for a star.
With the franchise still hoping to resurrect their best and regain their stature as one of the league's best, let's look at one trade and one free agent signing that could lift the Warriors back into championship contention.