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Draymond Green lays out free agency blueprint for Golden State Warriors with Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler

Originally posted on NBA Analysis Network
By Aaditya Krishnamurthy | Last updated Jul 1, 2025 9:45 AM ET

Draymond Green claims the Golden State Warriors have the foundational pieces for success and must work to build around them.

The Golden State Warriors really had a season of two halves last year. During the first part of the season, the Warriors were abysmal and looked set to miss the playoffs.

But just hours before the trade deadline, the Warriors completed a move to acquire Jimmy Butler. That trade turned out to be the catalyst for an incredible second half of the season.

The Warriors would end up sneaking into the playoffs via the play-in tournament, where they upset the second-seed Houston Rockets. But going against the Minnesota Timberwolves proved to be too much, as they were eliminated in five games.

There was some silver lining in defeat, as the Warriors’ haphazardly put-together roster was able to reach the second round of the playoffs.

But now they have an offseason to build around Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler the right way. And Draymond Green believes that is a rock-solid foundation for the team.

Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images

Draymond Green says Warriors have championship core with Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler

Speaking on his podcast, Draymond Green spoke about what he thinks the Golden State Warriors needed to do during free agency.

He admitted that the Warriors have done the difficult bit, which was finding Jimmy Butler to be a co-star for Stephen Curry. This puts them in a strong position to build around the dynamic duo.

“The heavy lifting has been done. We added Jimmy. I think that was the biggest thing that needed to happen. Now you can tool around that. Now you know how Jimmy looks in the system.

“We know how Jimmy likes to play. You can also tool around that as well. Just locking in from that front, understanding what we got and where we can get from better, and making those pushes.

“Free agency is tough. You try to court people and make the best offer. And you don’t always know what it is. For some guys, that could be the highest dollar amount; for other guys, it could be totally different.

“I think just going into it, it’s all about looking and seeing… I think we’re in a much better position headed into this one.”

“The heavy lifting is done — we got Jimmy.”@Money23Green says the Warriors are in position to make another real run. Now it’s about smart moves, the right pieces, and figuring out what fits around Jimmy & Steph.

Free agency ain’t easy… but the Bay might be back. … pic.twitter.com/zv2Xu4aWOT
— The Draymond Green Show with Baron Davis (@DraymondShow) June 30, 2025

Golden State Warriors must replace Kevon Looney soon

On Day 1 of NBA free agency, the Golden State Warriors lost a stalwart, as Kevon Looney left to sign with the New Orleans Pelicans.

It appears the Warriors are not panicking about this situation, as they have identified a replacement. Many NBA insiders expect the Warriors to push for Al Horford in the coming days.

Al Horford has received interest from several contending teams since the start of free agency, including the Boston Celtics, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks, Denver Nuggets, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Los Angeles Lakers, league sources told @hoopshype.
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) July 1, 2025

Adding Horford as a replacement for Looney would be considered an upgrade. Despite now being 39 years old, Horford has shown that he can play a reliable role off the bench.

Plus, the Warriors are seriously limited when it comes to adequate rim-protecting bigs. Horford can fill that gap, while also being a decent floor spacing option.

This article first appeared on NBA Analysis Network and was syndicated with permission.

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