Golden State Warriors’ triumph in 2022 was a moment that blended individual brilliance, collective cohesion, and strategic mastery. In their epic run to reclaim the NBA championship, the team relied on a core group of individuals who have since become synonymous with excellence and resilience: Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Jonathan “Moody” Kuminga, and head coach Steve Kerr. As time has passed, this quartet stands out as the last remaining pillars from that unforgettable title. Everyone else from the 2022 roster has departed—some via trades, others through free agency. What remains is a vivid testament to how sports evolve, how legacy endures, and how new stars rise to fill the vacuum left by legends.
At the heart of Golden State’s success was Stephen Curry. Curry’s MVP-caliber play—marked by his transcendent shooting, deft ball-handling, court vision, and leadership—left an indelible imprint on the season. Game after game, Curry exhibited an uncanny ability to shift the balance of play. He shattered records, and in critical playoff moments, embodied the rare blend of poise and competitive fire that defines champions. His bond with teammate Draymond Green loomed large; together, they formed one of the most synergistic duos in recent basketball history. Their shorthand on defense and coordination running the offense underpinned much of Golden State’s dynamism and adaptability. Today, Curry remains not only the franchise’s most iconic representative but also a global basketball phenomenon who personifies Golden State’s championship DNA.
Draymond Green has always been the emotional and defensive fulcrum for the Warriors. His presence during the 2022 campaign extended well beyond the stat sheet. He acted as enforcer, strategist, and motivational backbone. Whether securing rebounds, directing traffic on defense, or stepping into his role as secondary playmaker, Draymond’s intangibles elevated his teammates. His ability to challenge opponents verbally and physically, without losing control, sparked urgency that translated to game-changing energy. Green’s leadership was rooted not in flamboyance but in genuine belief—a belief that he was the cornerstone of a system built on communication, toughness, and unselfishness. By remaining with the team, Draymond embodies that same ethos, reminding the organization and fan base alike that grit and emotional intelligence are as vital to winning as skill.
Jonathan Kuminga, affectionately nicknamed “Moody,” entered the picture as a rookie on that championship-caliber team. Though still early in his career, Kuminga provided youth and promise. Amid the veteran-laden lineup, he seized sporadic opportunities with flashes of athleticism, intensity, and potential. His performances in blowouts and garbage-time minutes hinted at future stardom, and his youthful exuberance became a foil to the seasoned veterans. Holding onto Kuminga was a strategic decision by the Warriors, signaling a commitment to building a bridge between past glory and future dynasties. As the keeper of untapped promise, Kuminga is the solitary player from that 2022 class who still looks forward to charting his own version of greatness while upholding the blueprint laid out by Curry and Green.
In the coaching realm, Steve Kerr’s imprint cannot be overstated. Known for his calm demeanor, empathic leadership, and strategic acumen, Kerr orchestrated a culture of empowerment and accountability. He crafted a system that maximized the group’s strengths—motion offense, defensive versatility, and mental resilience. Player rotations, timeouts, and in-game adjustments reflected his deep understanding of basketball psychology and opponent tendencies. Kerr’s presence goes beyond X’s and O’s; he fosters a positive locker-room atmosphere, encourages player expression, and steers clear of negativity. As the last coach from the 2022 championship run still at the helm, Kerr occupies a unique role: the guardian of a philosophy, the link to past accolades, and the engine that propels the franchise forward.
All other members of that roster—luminaries like Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, and Andre Iguodala, plus pivotal bench contributors including Otto Porter Jr., Gary Payton II, and Nemanja Bjelica—have departed via fair trades or free agent transactions. Some, like Thompson, carried their own storied legacies within Golden State, but their subsequent career paths took them elsewhere. Others, such as Iguodala—a Finals MVP himself—moved on to contribute to future champions. This widespread turnover may have diluted the numerical continuity of the 2022 roster, but in terms of legacy, it shifts attention to the enduring quartet who remain standing: Curry, Green, Kuminga, and Kerr. They comprise a bridge: between past glory and ongoing pursuit, between star power and emerging talent.
The departures of those teammates represent the dual nature of professional sports. Teams must balance growth and salary flexibility. Aging stars need rest and different roles. Younger players pursue opportunities for playing time. In the wake of such change, Curry and Green remain steadfast as representatives of excellence. They act as anchors, both stylistically and culturally, helping guide the next wave of talent into the belly of championship aspirations. Their continued presence anchors the identity of the franchise, ensuring that while faces change, the foundational values remain constant: relentless work ethic, belief in teamwork, and ferocious competitiveness.
As they pursue the seasons ahead, the question isn’t only minutes or statistics—it’s legacy, adaptation, and reinvention. Curry, now in his mid-30s, adapts his game with wisdom honed over seasons—opting for smarter efficiencies, preserving peak athleticism with focused training, and honing his leadership off the court. Green, too, evolves—continually refining his defensive positioning, playmaking reads, and ability to drive second units when called upon, even as his explosiveness moderates. Kuminga, the raw ingredient, absorbs everything from those veterans. Observing lunch-huddle dynamics, trusting preseason preparation, enduring grind of practice—he will lean into historical continuity while forging his own basketball identity.
Kerr stands at the crossroads of legacy and innovation. He balances tactical evolution—such as deeper 3-and-D lineups, versatile switch-heavy defenses, or alternate-look bench units—with the assurance that the core identity doesn’t crumble under experiment. Decades beyond his playing career as a sharpshooting role player, Kerr used those experiences to forge relationships with his team, shape cultural alignment from within, and deliver championship blueprints over and over again.
This core, by virtue of being the last standing, has a responsibility beyond winning games. They are the storytellers, the custodians, the torchbearers. As younger players arrive—fresh draftees, new free-agent signings—they enter a database of excellence enacted. There is no workshop for what the Warriors expect. They learn by example. Steph’s clutch shot routines, Draymond’s defensive positioning drills, Curry’s off-book improvisation in drills, Kerr’s timeout breakdowns showing why spacing matters—these model the blueprint every Warrior follows. With each new roster iteration, this quartet recalibrates legacy: reminding the basketball world that the franchise isn’t a reflection of isolated players, but of culture sustained across players, coaches, eras.
Even more subtly, their continued cohesion builds pressure. The franchise demands success, and each year without another championship evolves from question mark to narrative. Fandom grows impatient. Media scrutiny intensifies. And market expectation looms like a hallmark. But with these four standing firm, there’s a palpable belief: they know approximately how to get it done. They have done it. They just need timing and health. That’s part of why retaining this core is seen as non-negotiable—they are cultural leverage, emotional buoyancy, and basketball sanity for a franchise that refuses to drift.
In many ways, their survival also highlights how decisions made in the present ring forward in the future. Trading role players or letting bench contributors go is easier when you have central figures you trust to pass on culture and identity. The most consequential move the Warriors made heading into 2022 was the affirmation that Curry and Green would remain building blocks—even if it meant knocking on the door of luxury taxes or handing longer deals. That trust paid dividends. Now, with a young phenotype like Kuminga still on the contract, the team enjoys healthy roster balance and opportunity to mold talent around its nucleus. And coaching stability? Kerr is still steering the ship, reinforcing stability.
Through all this, the quartet also serves as real-time living history. Their stories resonate: from long Stanley Cup runs, to the 2016 collapse, to redemption in 2017–18, to 2022’s revival. They have cataloged failure and triumph. They have rewritten narratives. They have inspired the chasing generation and confounded detractors. With each addition to the roster, the veteran quartet magically transmits these mental scripts: how to close tight games, how to reset defense after a fast-break lapse, how to find solace in adversity, how to imagine the improbable and then enact it.
So yes, the Warriors roster has reconfigured. But where Steven Sunday lineups change year to year, where G-league call-ups or mid-tier free agents rise and fall, only Curry, Green, Kuminga, and Kerr remain as gatekeepers of the franchise’s identity—its vision, values, DNA. They represent a golden throughline connecting past and future, triumph and pursuit. The others might have moved on, but these four define what the 2022 championship meant, what it built, and where it still points the organization: forward, unfinished, insatiable.
In the end, history will record that the 2022 Warriors were a culmination of vision, execution, and championship hunger. But those still with the team—the sharpshooter, the emotional leader, the rising star, and the architect—are reminders that in sports, triumph isn’t static. It’s a living, breathing thing, passed from one generation to the next through deeds, culture, and continuity. With them still fighting under the Bay’s banner, there’s every reason to believe that Golden State isn’t living in the past—it’s simply defining its future, one possession at a time.
