Warriors Guard Issues Strong Statement On His NBA Future After Playoff Exit

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Ashish Mathur | Last updated May 15, 2025 7:33 PM ET

Golden State Warriors players met with local reporters on Thursday for exit interviews after their season ended on Wednesday. The Dubs lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round of the playoffs in five games after beating the Houston Rockets in the first round in seven games.

Golden State won Game 1 in Minnesota but lost four consecutive games after Steph Curry suffered a Grade 1 left hamstring strain in Game 1. The two-time MVP was aiming to play in Game 6, but the Warriors couldn't win Game 5 without their star point guard.

Some believe the Warriors need to make another blockbuster trade this offseason to compete for a championship next season. While Curry and Jimmy Butler proved to be a dynamic duo, Golden State may need a third alpha scorer.

In his first season with the Warriors, Buddy Hield showed flashes of being a dynamic scorer and shooter, scoring 20 points 11 times in the regular season and exploding for 33 points in the Game 7 win over the Rockets.

During his exit interview, Hield told reporters he wants to retire with the Warriors and loves playing in Steve Kerr's system.

The 32-year-old Hield averaged 11.1 points in the regular season while shooting 37.0% from 3. He then averaged 12.5 points in the postseason on 42.9% shooting from beyond the arc.

Hield will make $9.2 million next season. He can become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2027 by declining his 2027-28 player option worth $10.1 million.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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