LAIE, Hawaii >> Steph Curry and Draymond Green are used to playing for championships. They, along with Klay Thompson, head coach Steve Kerr and several other dynastic core main characters have established the Warriors as a championship franchise. The expectation at 1 Warriors Way is winning, and winning at the highest level — from the ownership level down.

Yet the Warriors are coming off a playoff-less, 46-win season. Thompson departed for Dallas. Curry and Green are in their mid-30s. The Western Conference is as deep as ever. Betting markets have Golden State at roughly even odds to make the postseason.

Even just Thompson’s absence signals a different chapter in the Warriors’ dynasty — perhaps a post-dynasty era. Reality is setting in that a championship may not be realistic anymore for the team as currently constructed.

When asked if it’s difficult to convince a player like Green, who has won four titles and been to two more NBA Finals, to stick with the franchise as it gets further away from its dominant past, Kerr said he doesn’t have to talk Green into doing anything. Green’s a bonafide competitor no matter what.

“Obviously, Steph, Draymond, if we could have gotten another superstar player to come in, they would’ve loved that,” Kerr said. “But we didn’t. We tried, but we didn’t. We’ve got some really good vets who have come in from the summer movement. And we’ve got guys who are scrappy. I see Draymond and Steph really enjoying this team.”

In his answer, though, Kerr’s mind drifted to a related topic: The external expectations of championship-or-bust. In NBA circles, it’s known as “Ringz Culture,” and Kerr disagrees with its basic premise.

“To modern sports fandom, everything is, ‘Win the championship or nothing else matters,’” Kerr said. “But it’s really not true. What matters is do you have a good team? Do you have a team that your fans love watching? Do you have a team that, ‘Hey, we’ve got a shot.’ Let’s be scrappy, let’s be tough as hell. Let’s have a team that brings a lot of juice, a lot of energy, a lot of joy. This is not a zero-sum game.”

As someone who has won nine NBA championships in his career — four as a coach and five as a player — Kerr’s perspective is particularly relevant. And it hints at how he views this particular roster.

The Ringz Culture trend has been amplified by the rise of social media and around-the-clock television punditry. The omnipresent “GOAT” debate between Michael Jordan and LeBron James centers around championships; Jordan was a perfect 6-for-6 in the Finals, while James has won four titles in 10 trips.

The concept has manifested itself in tangible ways, though. Players, particularly those who are late in their careers and haven’t yet won a championship, often latch on to a contending team when they can. Ring-chasing isn’t just limited to the NBA, either.