On Thursday Thorns, we offer up uncomfortable facts and truths in the sports world, usually on a weekly basis. And since we have spent most of our adult lives in the San Francisco Bay Area, quite often we focus on the local teams. So be it; last week it was the Golden State Valkyries, and this week it’s the Golden State Warriors—who once again realized that without Stephen Curry, there never would have been a dynasty.

The Dubs were eliminated in five games last night by the Minnesota Timberwolves, meaning the team’s postseason came to an end in the conference semifinals once again, just like in 2023 (although that took six games against the Los Angeles Lakers). Curry was injured midway through Game 1 in this matchup, and the Warriors proceeded to drop four straight in the postseason for the first time since 1972. That is a big ouchie.

Golden State won the NBA title in 2015 on its way to five consecutive Finals appearances (2015-2019) and two more championships (2017, 2018). They blew the 2016 Finals, thanks to Draymond Green and some probable league favoritism toward LeBron James; they were robbed of the 2019 Finals due to injuries (Kevin Durant, Klay Thompson). They were gifted a fourth title in 2022 for reasons we cannot discern.

But that was three years ago, and the team has struggled for winning consistency since then, winning an average of 46 games per regular season, all while juggling the roster trying to find the right combination of supporting cast members for Curry. The Warriors only escaped the first round this year, thanks to journeyman Buddy Hield, who had the game of his life in Game 7 against the Houston Rockets on the road.

Alas, that kind of miracle can’t always present itself, especially if Curry isn’t on the court to draw the defense toward him. The acquisition of Jimmy Butler III midseason this year was supposed to alleviate that, but even “Playoff Jimmy”—the guy who seemingly led the Miami Heat to the Finals in 2020 and 2023 all by himself, which isn’t true, of course—couldn’t do much without Curry around during Games 2-5 here.

Butler posted an incredible .242 WS/48 mark in his 30 games for the team in the regular season, but he was unable to sustain that rate of play in the playoffs: his .191 WS/48 mark in 11 postseason contests doesn’t seem like that much dropoff, but when Curry isn’t there to provide anything, it is rather significant. In traditional numbers, Butler only came up with more than 17 points once in the four straight losses to Minnesota.

Golden State needed him to be Curry, basically, in those four games, and other than his 33-point outburst in a Game 3 loss at home, Butler wasn’t able to do that. Neither was the rest of the supporting cast, as the Warriors lost those four consecutive games by an average of almost 12 points per game. The Game 3 loss was by just five points, and that seemed to take the wind out of the team, knowing they couldn’t do it alone.

Which brings us to what the Golden State front office needs to do in the final two years of Curry’s contract—and also Butler’s deal, too. Both guys are aging stars who can’t be expected to stay healthy all the time at their respective ages, which are greater in reality due to the numerous postseason matchups each guy has played in during their respective careers. Curry just turned 37 in March; Butler will be 36 come September.

But they’re both closer to 40 and should not be playing 30 minutes per game during the regular season ever again. The Warriors owe them a combined $114M next year, while also having to pay Green (at age 36) a whopping $26M. Where was Green’s alleged stellar defense in the last four games against Minnesota, by the way? That’s another question for another day, but the team needs to consider dumping his salary.

(Green’s overall WS mark in the 12 postseason games was negative, by the way. That’s how bad he was.)

The Golden State organization has money decisions to make, as Moses Moody is owed $11.5M next year, and Hield is owed $9.2M. Those are guaranteed contracts, too, so for those five guys above, that’s just above $160M alone. Luckily, the Warriors have some flexibility in rounding out the rest of the roster as many guys will be free agents, and the team theoretically can reshape its roster with some creative financing/trades.

Jokingly, we suggest the team trade its entire roster, except Curry and Butler, to Milwaukee for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Then fill out the roster with young, hungry players looking to make a name for themselves in the league. Those younger players would have to have the skill sets needed to complement a new Big Three in San Francisco, of course, but that’s why the front office guys make the big bucks, too.

Time’s a-wastin’, folks. Curry and Butler only can fight off Father Time for two more years, really, if that.