It's been an offseason of waiting for the Golden State Warriors, and in waiting, they've missed out on a lot. 

In the twilight years of Steph Curry, fans were hoping that the Warriors would build a team around Steph that could compete for a championship, fearing that the franchise legend might look elsewhere if the squad kept failing to make the playoffs. 

The Warriors have continued to star chase over the years, landing Jimmy Butler in 2025 after being in the running for the likes of Kevin Durant, Paul George, and Kawhi Leonard. 

The team began the offseason with some hopes of landing LeBron James, who became an unrestricted free agent after leaving the Los Angeles Lakers. 

Not only did they not land LeBron, but they also haven't landed any other significant piece to think the team will be a threat in the playoffs. 

According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Warriors could've potentially landed Jaylen Brown if they were willing to give up around four first-round picks. The Warriors and Boston Celtics reportedly discussed a deal involving Brown at the trade deadline that centered around multiple first-round picks, swaps, and second-round picks. 

The Warriors opted to not pull the trigger on a deal. 

The team was also linked to Anthony Davis in the offseason with the feeling that if they were able to get Davis, they could more easily sell LeBron on joining the team. 

Whether it was Davis or Brown, the Warriors would've had to give up Jimmy Butler to make the money work on top of the draft compensation necessary for either player. 

In the end, the Celtics traded Brown to the Philadelphia 76ers as the offseason began, and LeBron opted to join the Sixers. 

If the Warriors acquired Brown or Davis, their chances of selling LeBron on The Bay would've dramatically increased. As currently constructed, even with LeBron, the Warriors aren't a championship-level team. Adding Davis or Brown to the mix puts them on a higher tier, likely still below the Oklahoma City Thunder and Denver Nuggets, but in that next group. 

LeBron wants to win another championship, and the Warriors are running back a tenth seed. 

The team didn't want to mortgage its future for a one- or two-year window, which was their call to make. Fans might not be thrilled with the decision, and if it costs them the final years of Steph Curry, the outrage will only increase, but they took a long-term approach rather than going all in.