Warriors shunned again in further sign of championship drawcard fading

Foy years the Golden State Warriors built an on and off-court culture that attracted outsiders to want to be part of the franchise, even if meant sacrificing something financially in the process.

Over the last couple of seasons, with their core playing group aging and their culture facing some self-inflicted wounds, the Warriors are no longer the destination they once were. That factor could certainly cause some concern for them come free agency, but it may have already played a role in missing out on a potentially high caliber assistant coach.

Darvin Ham's decision to join the Milwaukee Bucks further showcases that the Golden State Warriors are longer the destination they once were

After being fired by the Los Angeles Lakers just over a month ago, Darvin ham was always going to be one of the most well-credentialed, highly sought after coaches for a team to go after this offseason.

Despite lasting two years in the role, Ham's tenure with the Lakers was hardly a monumental failure having made the playoffs in back-to-back years, including a Western Conference Finals appearance last season after beating the Warriors in the second-round.

Not content with simply the major roster changes that are expected to come this month, The Athletic's Anthony Slater reported two weeks ago that Golden State had conversations with Ham about joining Steve Kerr's staff.

Slater did suggest that those talks weren't expected to materialize, and that officially became the case on Monday when ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Ham is joining Doc Rivers' staff as an assistant in Milwaukee.

The move sees Ham return to the Bucks where he spent four years as an assistant between 2018 and 2022, including the 2021 championship next to then head coach Mike Budenholzer. Whatever discussions or potential offer Golden State put on the table, it clearly wasn't enough for Ham to be lured to the Bay.

Without knowing the full extent of the Warriors interest in Ham, perhaps it's another indication that the franchise no longer holds the same appeal it once did when they were competing for championships on a yearly basis.

The Warriors are still likely to be after another big-name assistant, with the potential of losing Kenny Atkinson who is currently a lead candidate to replace the axed J.B. Bickerstaff as head coach in Cleveland.