The Golden State Warriors postseason is over, but questions linger both within the franchise and outside of it as to what the team may have been able to accomplish had Stephen Curry not suffered a hamstring injury in Game 1 against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
No one associated with Golden State asserted that the team would have made the Western Conference Finals with a healthy Curry after losing to Minnesota in five games. But the Warriors' belief in their ceiling didn't waver after dropping Game 5 to the Timberwolves in Minneapolis on Wednesday, May 14.
Head coach Steve Kerr made certain to credit Minnesota, but also asserted his belief that Golden State could have won its way to yet another title had everything broken right.
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr (left) and guard Stephen Curry (right).
Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr (left) and guard Stephen Curry (right).
Petre Thomas, Thomas Shea-Imagn Images
"I know we had a shot. I know we could have gone the distance," Kerr said. "Maybe we wouldn’t have, but it doesn’t matter. Everything in the playoffs is about who stays healthy and who gets hot and are you playing well at the right time. Do you have multiple guys step up in key games, make shots. And do you have good health. You see it every year, in every series. There’s a little bit of luck involved."
Draymond Green also gave the Timberwolves full credit for the series win despite Curry's absence. But he, too, was bold in his belief that the Warriors still have legitimate championship aspirations over the next couple of seasons.
""We think we got the pieces to make another run at it," Green said, per KNBR. "We got one of the best ownership groups and front offices in the NBA, and they'll do whatever is needed to help the team improve."
Golden State could attempt to get into the Giannis Antetokounmpo sweepstakes this summer, as he is open to a potential trade out of Milwaukee. That deal would probably require the Warriors to send Jimmy Butler to the Bucks, as he and Antetokounmpo will make essentially the same salary in 2025-26 ($54 million).
That deal would also probably demand that Golden State empty its coffers of draft assets and may require the inclusion of young talent like Brandin Podziemski as well.
"Golden State still has four [first-round picks] available to use in a trade: 2026, 2028, 2028 (if 1-20) and 2030," Bobby Marks of ESPN wrote May 13. "The Warriors are also allowed to swap firsts in every season and have two second-rounders available."
However, Marks included the Warriors in the category of franchises that would require a third team as part of any trade to acquire Antetokounmpo, which could complicate the process.