The Golden State Warriors just cannot catch a break these days.
The Warriors came up empty on their pursuits of several All-Star forwards this offseason. Golden State was a long-shot landing spot for Giannis Antetokounmpo until he got traded to the Miami Heat. LeBron James was also on the Warriors’ radar before he shocked the world with a move to the Philadelphia 76ers.
The 2022 NBA champions could not even land Ben Simmons, who on Friday agreed to a deal with the Sacramento Kings. Fans made the Warriors the butt of every joke for not even being an appealing enough destination for Simmons, of all people.
Ben said he'd rather go to Sacramento then play for Steve Kerr & Mike Dunleavy. We gotta add Ben Simmons to the list of LeBron, Giannis, Paskal, Kawhi, OG & KD turning down the chance to play for the Warriors. https://t.co/XoaUwiu6Jc
— TJ (@TraMurr2) September 4, 2026
Warriors can't even close out a deal for Ben Simmons 😭😂😭😂😭😂😭😂😭
— LoonMuse (@KevonLooneyMuse) September 4, 2026
Holy Mike is in the mud….. pic.twitter.com/v9kQvYNhuZ https://t.co/CElLibmBbS
brother the warriors can't even get ben Simmons
— Ahmed (@Ahmed667217) September 4, 2026
Simmons, who used to be a passing savant and defensive menace, was once the perfect complement to a player like Steph Curry. But the Aussie chose to play for a rebuilding Kings team instead.
There’s a chance the Warriors dodged a bullet with Simmons, whose skills and limitations are very similar to those of Draymond Green. It’s hard to imagine the two ever sharing the floor without there being spacing issues, even with the greatest shooter in NBA history on the court with them.
But it’s still quite the reputational hit when the once-revered Warriors franchise can’t even get Simmons excited about joining their team. With Jimmy Butler still on the mend, Curry may need to carry an even bigger load next season at age 38.
