Stephen Curry is excited about the prospect of running it back with Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green next season after that tandem played playoff-level basketball over the final portion of the season, ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk writes.
The Warriors took Game 1 of the second round of the playoffs against the Timberwolves, but Curry was injured in that game and did not return for the rest of the series.
“Our contracts — me, Draymond, Steve, Jimmy — are all two years [more],” Curry said. “And we want this ride to last as long as possible. But it’s just about what does this team need for next year, answering those questions over the summer, everybody preparing themselves individually to get through another 82-game season hopefully with a little bit more of a comfort room down the stretch where we don’t have to have a two-month gauntlet just to make the playoffs.”
Regardless of what direction the team takes this offseason, Green believes Golden State got the hardest part of the team-building process over by acquiring Butler
“It’s harder to get guys like that through trades, through free agency,” Green said. “It just doesn’t come up often. That part is done. It puts us in a much better situation going into this offseason than last year where we were kind of looking for that.”
We have more from the Pacific Division:
- This offseason is a pivotal one for the Suns. After they hire their next head coach, it seems likely they’ll explore the trade market for Kevin Durant, Keith Smith of Spotrac writes in his offseason preview. Smith opines that the team should at least look into fully resetting but is more likely to try to retool around Devin Booker. Any Durant trade should return multiple rotation players on smaller salaries, and potentially draft assets to replenish a depleted collection of future picks. A smaller decision worth monitoring is what the team does with Vasilije Micic‘s $8.1MM team option. Exercising that would give the team another decent salary to include in trades, Smith notes, but declining it could create significant tax savings.
- Durant won the Professional Basketball Writers Association’s Magic Johnson Award for 2024/25, per a press release. The award honors a player who best combines on-court skill with grace in dealing with media and fans. Durant also won the award in 2010/11. “We’re really pleased to honor KD again,” said PBWA president Howard Beck. “Kevin has long been one of the NBA’s most thoughtful and accessible stars. He always makes time for reporters, whether for on-the-record interviews or just informal chit-chat, and he never shies away from any topic.“
- The Lakers‘ priority this offseason — outside of keeping LeBron James and extending Luka Doncic — will be to add size and athleticism around their two superstars. Jovan Buha of The Athletic explores how Los Angeles could improve its roster. If Dorian Finney-Smith opts into his $15.4MM player option, the Lakers would have four sizable expiring deals that they could potentially use in trades, in Finney-Smith, Rui Hachimura‘s ($18.3MM), Maxi Kleber ($11.0MM) and Gabe Vincent ($11.5MM).
Retool are Booker? A guy who has proven nothing in his career
Observers forget. Green/Wiggins/Kuminga formed a very successful trio last season. Kuminga started out the season cold. He then got injured. Butler came over late in the season and fit in like he had been there since training camp. When JK came back, there was not enough time, nor the necessity, to change what was working. If JK stays, playing him and Butler could reap some big rewards.
Who are this and what have you done with Giants74 ?!
You nailed it.
there’s just no way to play all 3 of green, kuminga and butler at the same time without destroying the floor spacing. I like JK but I can’t see him developing on this roster, they might be better off seeing what they can get for him
Butler is a better version of Wiggins. It worked before. Butler thinks it can work.
It can work but the #1 priorty is getting a big man that can rebound and block out other centers. Doesn’t need to be offensive but open up the key.
OK, name a realistic trade target.
Watch out for a lot of Giannis trade rumors with the Warriors, read some articles that he wants to play with a good shooting guard (Curry), a good all-around forward (Butler) and the Warriors do have the capital to pull off a deal if Giannis wants to play in the bay area. That would be the big man the Warriors need to put with Curry, and if the Warrior management is sincere in what they have said in the past few months that they want to give Curry another solid shot at a title this is the move that could in deed line Curry up for that last title shot.
Who would they have left on their roster?
@desertdawg
We already have a resident Giannis to GSW rumor monger here.
There will be all kinds of rumors, but until Giannis actually asks for a trade nothing will happen.
Even if he does, I’m not sure he would designate GSW as his preferred destination.
I am looking outside the box and going to teh foreign market for a big man. US market doesn’t have much unless the warriors can do a Buddy for Landale trade with the Rockets. Landale can screen and rebound and Rockets could use that money to sign Adams and Buddy could be their offense off the bench. Until the Kuminga situation is done we will not know what the warriors will do in the off season. If he leaves it will open up a lotmore money.
The only way Kuminga is leaving is through a sign and trade and that won’t bring back much.
it will probably be a 3 way deal with warriors mainly getting draft picks back in the deal. A Thompson like deal.
arc89 , I see little chance of that. This is a business.
If/when Kuminga is traded, it will be for equal value. And that value will survive the departure of Steph, Butler and Draymond in 24 months.
Believe Lakob when he says the Warriors will have a young core in place when Steph leaves. That’s because they have to have a marketable product, otherwise attendance and revenues plummet. Lacob and outside investors can lose, literally, billions.
In this regard, the interests of ownership and the departing Steph + Draymond + Kerr are NOT aligned. Lacob cares about what happens AFTER these guys leave in 24 months. Steph, Draymond, and Kerr don’t.
when all 3 leave there will be a boat load of money under the cap in 2 years. Only a little over $20 million is guananteed for the 2028 season. Podz is the only name on the list that might have a chance to be signed a extension at this point. There will be a rebuild in 2028.
arc89 , there won’t be a “full rebuild” in 2028… or ever. Lacob has said so publicly many times and it’s been written about in Forbes Magazine and the New York Times.
You can read about why in Forbes Magazine: if revenues drop substantially, their business model fails. The Warriors can have a winning roster for only one reason: huge tickets sales, which enable them to into the luxury tax. And they can have huge ticket sales only when they win.
The Warriors’ business model doesn’t accommodate a “rebuild”… i.e., multiple seasons of missing the playoffs. Many season ticket holders won’t renew and ticket prices will fall. They’ll lose hundreds of millions of dollars if they do.
This is why the Warriors didn’t trade Kuminga and Podziemski last summer. There has to be life after Steph.
Brook Lopez
Brook Lopez
Brook Looez
If he doesn’t retire and wants to take a pay cut.
Brook Lopez is a 37 year old unrestricted free agent.
He signed a $23M/yr contract 3 years ago.
He won’t command more than $10M/yr on the free agent market.
We need a stretch 5 desperately.
What will motivate him to sign with the warriors?
I wish I knew. The highest offer, probably.
Lakers will definitely be in the running, which scares me.
Lakers have no money to offer if LeBron picks up his option. They have even less money because they are even further over the apron than the warriors.
But they’re the Lakers. Lakers have always been the preferred destination for “setting sun” vets.
Lopez has already made $250M in his career.
The weather. He’s from Fresno and went to Stanford. He could end up on a deep playoff run.
AE is the one pushing for KD next year. So what happens it they make the Finals. I get the feeling Minny just doesn’t want Randle. Especially now with McDaniels expanding his game. Imo they will go after KD.
Randle gets a bad rap. He is one of hardest workers. It’s why Thibs always respected him. If he would just accept playing off other players. He would be fine. He is having a solid playoffs. He will work with Booker. Problem there is Beal and Booker are same player. No one is taking Beal ……
Warriors have to find a center. Fox is decent as a backup. Even a guy like Sims can help. He is a FA. And probably should draft one too. There has been a lot of noise coming out. Kuminga will be shopped. He has come out and said. He would do a sign n trade. Imo he’s gone. They can get value for him. I would look at a guy like Grant in Portland. He fits the Warriors well imo.
@KnickAl
That’s the 2nd time I’ve seen you mention a center named Fox. Who is he and where is he playing?
Warriors have too many holes in their roster and a big 3 that is really a big 1 and 2 ageing and temperamental role players…
Being a Suns fans, I’m hoping for a total rebuild, but it seems like a retool is in the works. Only way this team really rebuilds is if it trades Booker and the team that gets Booker agrees to take Beal in the deal. The market for 37-year-old Durant is not going to be a big return as if he was a few years ago. I think and looking at a Miami Heat franchise where you might get a decent return for Durant. As far as a Booker trade I would see a good fit in Detroit with Booker and Cunningham as a backcourt duo with Beal coming off the bench.
Next year will be even tougher to get into the top 6. Rockets, wolves, OKC, Nuggets should still be there. You will have Clippers, lakers, Spurs, warriors, and Mavs still competing for a playoff spot. Now add in the Pelicans and Grizzlies who should get healthy. So that still leaves Kings, blazers, and Suns who can improve this off season with the right trades. Only Utah you can count out of the playoffs for next year. Now that will be a dog fight.
@arc Rockets core from this year will change VanFleet has a club option of 41 million this year. Jalen Green could be traded. Adams, Brooks, and some other veterans are hitting the free agency market. Tate Jr could be gone as well. Out of that 14 man roster, I believe 8 are about ready to leave the organization. I suspect a few trades to free up some money to improve that team. VanFleet contract needs off the books by trade or release. He isn’t worth that 41 million next season. I really like where my Rockets are going, but there are quite a few question markets. Do the Rockets have enough star power to draw free agents this off season? Our beloved Rockets shook the NBA world this year, but not sure if that is enough to draw elite players to Houston. We shall see though
Rockets will draw free agents but this year the freeagent market is a yawn fest. Rockets are going to be trading this off season. I will say they part with Brooks. His attitude is wearing thin in Houston like in Memphis as he is having a negative impact on the young players. If they go with an old scorer they could trade Brroks to the kings for DeRozan. Kings need defense. They need a scorer and that they can get through trades.
Outside of Adams, none of their other pending free agents that aren’t on a team option played any meaningful minutes. They have Cam and Reed, their two youngest players waiting in the wings, a draft pick this year in the top 10, and are most likely going to drastically rework another deal with FVV. The rockets will be most likely running back this same roster, with the addition of probably one or two role guys and bank on this young team continuing to grow and improve like they did this year from last year.
And anyone saying Brooks has had a negative impact on the rockets younger players has not watched a single rockets game. Hes brought out the dog in them and has been huge for establishing their defensive identity. And it’s obvious to see these young guys love him
I completely disagree with your comment. Rockets needs to make that next step and need to trade for some offense. They will make a trade or two for offense. Could bring in a big star. Brooks is a bad influence on the younger players. Their defense comes from their coach not Brooks is why his playoff minutes went down in games they won. They are better without him on the court.
Warriors need at least three 7 footers and as few under 6’6″ players as possible.
“Any Durant trade should return multiple rotation players on smaller salaries, as well as assets to replenish their asset cabinet. ”
We will see what the Suns are able to get for him – I guess it depends on the definition of “rotation player”.
It will all depend on what their owner wants to do. If they are doing a rebuild they should take back as many draft picks that they can. If not they need to bring back defensive players and a real PG.
Funny. Davey says the Warriors need 3 7-footers. That is hysterical. I’m sure you can find 3 7-footers. Most of them would occupy 13-15 spots on a roster. Trading Curry would get you all of them.
Warriors were better with DeAnthony Melton than with Jimmy Butler, but it seems like everyone forgot thr best part of their season. Now they have an old player that is not as productive anymore making loads of money. Thats definitely a recipe for winning!!
They were much better with Butler. Melton didn’t play as many games as you think.
Werent they the 1st seed over the oklahoma city thunder? Who was on that roster?
He played like 5 games with Warriors, lol. Still, we dond mind him coming back for vet minimum! Nothing more…
Warriors would be smart to work out a sign and trade deal sending Kuminga to Brooklyn for Cam Johnson. Maybe they have to give up a first round pick who cares make that deal.
Brooklyn is rebuilding and Cam Johnson is already 29, he’s not a long term fixture for them. Whereas Kuminga is 22.
In terms of numbers Kuminga has 2 seasons averaging above 15 points per game in his 4 seasons. Johnson also only has 2 and yet he’s played 6 seasons. I wouldn’t think they’d be far off equal value. Just in terms of fit Johnson would be perfect for GSW. Another long shooter that’s super efficient and doesn’t need the ball but plays really smart basketball.
After that, I’d try being in Steven Adams.
They need a 7 foot hard nosed physical centre like him that does all the dirty work. He’s one of the best screen setters in the league, he’s one of the best at grabbing offensive rebounds, he blocks shots, he boxes out, he works really hard and he’s great for the locker room.
They haven’t had a good tough reliable centre for a long time and Adams would be good for 20 minutes a night of tough basketball which allows time for Post and TJD still.
After that simply just fill out the depth chart. You’ve already got two good guards in Podz and Moody and you’ve got two good bigs in Post and TJD. Probably just need some forwards. Go Cam Reddish and JaeSean Tate.
Curry Johnson Butler Green Adams
Podz Moody Reddish/Santos Tate TDJ/Post
The Nets have already said they are only going after polished players in Free Agency. They could sign Kuminga out right. No trade needed.
No guarantee that the warriors will not match it? I would think unless its a way over pay the warriors will match the contract.
Warriors will match so that they can trade him later. They are not sold on him at all but they will not lose him for nothing.
I think Kuminga makes sense as he is 7 years younger and they are a rebuilding team. Not to mention what he’s shown in 4 seasons he’s clearly got a higher ceiling than Cam.
As for the offseason. Brooklyn has 4 first (3 of them late) I wouldn’t be surprised to see them do something with them.
Crazy idea, Nic Claxton and pick 26 for Kristaps Porzingis.
Boston is looking to save money, KP got dropped to the bench, they need a big and some more athleticism and defensive presence in the paint.
Brooklyn then replace Claxton with Malauch in the draft just like that.
Dlo Thomas Kuminga KP Malauch
Nets could do is sign somebody else too since they would still have money to spend.