This move is still crushing the Warriors (and it is not what you think)

The Golden State Warriors are nearing the end of their dynasty. Winning four championships and making six NBA Finals in eight years is an incredible feat. Stephen Curry cemented himself as an all-time great as the Dubs changed basketball. It was a wild ride, but there is plenty of uncertainty in the Bay Area after missing the playoffs in 2024.

Klay Thompson hits the open market in a crucial free agency period for Golden State. The Warriors need to get their spending in order and cannot afford to miss on the players they do add. Golden State certainly need more talent if they plan on getting back into title contention in 2025.

The Dubs missed a golden opportunity during their run, and it continues to haunt their franchise. Nailing this selection likely keeps them in title contention for years to come, but the Warriors took arguably the biggest bust of the draft.

Warriors still getting crushed by missing on James Wiseman in 2020 NBA Draft

Not often does the best team in the NBA get the opportunity to select in the lottery, but it happened in 2020. The Dubs had a lost season after falling to the Raptors in the 2019 NBA Finals. Klay Thompson was out with a torn ACL. Kevin Durant left in free agency. Stephen Curry was limited to five games because of a hand injury. Draymond Green was the healthiest of their core but only appeared in 43 contests. The result was a 15-win season and the worst record in the league.

Golden State slipped to second in the draft lottery but had a prime opportunity to a premier young talent to their core. The pre-draft process was impacted by the pandemic and made scouting difficult. It resulted in plenty of missed opportunities, but none bigger than the Warriors' blunder.

Taking James Wiseman was a mutual decision. They dreamed of getting a dominant center and building out a second timeline to stay in contention for 15-plus years, but Wiseman did not last three full seasons in the Bay Area.

After four years, Wiseman averages 9.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 0.7 blocks in 19.0 minutes per game. He was a reserve on the worst team in the NBA in 2024 and heads into free agency this summer hoping to land a second contract.

Three All-Star guards were still on the board. LaMelo Ball was under consideration for the selection and has become an elite scorer and playmaker. There are injury questions, but the Dubs would feel significantly better having him on their roster.

The two bigger misses are Tyrese Haliburton and Tyrese Maxey. Both appear to be All-Stars and difference-makers for the foreseeable future. Haliburton just led the Pacers to the conference finals, and Maxey is a key part of the 76ers plans. Imagine either playing next to Stephen Curry in the Bay Area.

The Golden State Warriors missed the opportunity to land another star and stay in contention. They went for upside, but it did not pan out. The Dubs are left clinging to an aging roster and trying to figure out how to build around Curry during the latter stages of his career. It won’t be easy, and there are likely struggles ahead. The Warriors have nobody to blame, but themselves.