After the Golden State Warriors’ season ended in a 121-110 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5, Warriors All-Star Stephen Curry discussed his future with Jimmy Butler. The Curry and Butler pairing came to an end when Curry suffered a hamstring injury in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinal series against the Timberwolves and never returned.
Many wonder if monumental changes are on the horizon as the Warriors look to squeeze out one more championship run during Curry’s Hall of Fame career’s twilight years. However, when it comes to his pairing with Butler, the four-time champion is still eager to see it through a full campaign in 2025-26, per ESPN’s Ohm Youngmisuk.
“There’s a lot of chatter of whether that trade was the right one or not… from the first game in Chicago to last night, it was a seamless fit,” Curry said. “He and I complement each other. He gave us so much belief.”
Realistically, Curry envisioned a two-year window for him, Butler, and the rest of the Warriors.
“Asked if he views this as a two-year window, Stephen Curry says that with him, Steve Kerr, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler all aligned for two more years, you just want “the ride” to last as long as it can,” Youngmisuk reported.
Butler averaged 17.9 points on 47.6% shooting, 5.9 assists, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.7 steals in 30 regular-season games for the Warriors. His scoring and rebounding spiked to 19.2 points and 6.6 rebounds per game in the postseason.
Stephen Curry’s urgent message to the Warriors front office
Warriors chairman Joe Lacob blasted fans critical of young players, as the front office will look for them to make significant strides in 2025-26. As the Warriors take stock in their young rotation players during the offseason, Curry believes the veterans can lead his team to one more run toward the NBA Finals, per The Athletic’s Anthony Slater and Marcus Thompson II.
“Ordinarily, when a team feels close, Curry said, major changes don’t feel so necessary,” The Athletic’s Anthony Slater and Marcus Thompson II wrote. “But he’s been through this enough times to know standing pat isn’t prudent. Butler’s contract lines up with Curry’s. They both have two seasons left.
“‘On the surface, that’s why he signed for two more years — our belief we can make it work,’ Curry said of Butler. ‘And we’ve proven that the last three months. Just gotta figure out what is going to get us to the next level as a whole. One guy can’t win it. Two guys can’t win it. It’s gotta be a team.’”
How the Warriors’ supporting cast evolves will be critical for their success in the future.
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