Many pundits, me included, heralded the demise of the Golden State Warriors during the 2023 playoffs as the Los Angeles Lakers manhandled the ageing Warriors during the Western Conference semifinals. In the 2024 playoffs, the Warriors were eliminated in the Playoff Tournament by the Sacramento Kings poised to become another has-been team trying to keep their glory days alive.

At that time, the Warriors core of Steph Curry (36), Klay Thompson (34) and Draymond Green (34) were showing signs of rust not to mention the wear and tear of various injuries from years past. They were shadows of their former selves, a few years removed from dominating the league and numerous trips to the NBA Finals.