Zach Lowe says the quiet part out loud about the Warriors future

The Golden State Warriors' "Two Timelines" strategy—aiming to simultaneously contend with their veteran core while developing young talent into future stars—has unequivocally failed, as declared by analyst Zach Lowe. This approach, championed by owner Joe Lacob, sought to replicate the San Antonio Spurs' successful generational transition from Tim Duncan to Kawhi Leonard.

After injuries to Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson in 2020–2021, the Warriors acquired three lottery picks: James Wiseman (No. 2, 2020), Jonathan Kuminga (No. 7, 2021), and Moses Moody (No. 14, 2021). Despite winning the 2022 NBA championship with Curry and Draymond Green leading, none of the young players contributed meaningfully. Wiseman proved a "colossal bust" and is now on his third team, Kuminga resisted a role-player development path, and Moody remains underutilized by the coaching staff despite his potential.

Lowe recently highlighted the Warriors as a dysfunctional "WTF" team, noting their free-agency stagnation and the lose-lose Kuminga situation. He emphasized that the franchise's post-Curry future appears bleak, with contention only possible while Curry performs at a star level. Once he declines, a "hard collapse" is inevitable.

Recognizing this, the front office under Mike Dunleavy Jr. has pivoted to win-now moves: trading Wiseman for Gary Payton II, swapping Jordan Poole for Chris Paul, and aggressively pursuing stars like Jimmy Butler. Rumors suggest even bigger targets—Kevin Durant, Paul George, or LeBron James—as the organization pushes resources to maximize Curry's remaining window.