The Golden State Warriors, a franchise synonymous with dominance, having won four championships during the Stephen Curry era, are navigating a Western Conference that is both fiercely competitive and filled with youthful exuberance.
The addition of Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline transformed the Warriors from a middling play-in contender into a legitimate threat.
However, the question remains: how can they keep pace with the West’s best teams, especially those that are rapidly ascending?
Combatting a rapidly ascending Western Conference
In 2025, the Western Conference is a battleground where established powerhouses coexist with emerging young teams.
The Oklahoma City Thunder, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, are currently in the NBA Finals, tied 1-1 with the Indiana Pacers, boasting a blend of star power and depth that makes them a formidable opponent.
NBA: Finals-Indiana Pacers at Oklahoma City Thunder
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The youth movement in the West is impossible to ignore.
The Houston Rockets, under head coach Ime Udoka, have evolved into a defensive powerhouse, demonstrating their physicality during a grueling seven-game series against the Warriors in the first round of the playoffs.
For the Warriors, maintaining competitiveness means balancing the experience of their championship core—Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and now Jimmy Butler—with the integration of younger players like Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski.
It’s a delicate balance, but one the Warriors have navigated successfully in the past.
Their ability to adapt to this dynamic landscape hinges on three key pillars: leveraging their veteran savvy, addressing roster deficiencies, and exploiting their newfound versatility with Butler.
The Warriors need more scoring from Butler next season
The Warriors’ 2025 playoff run ended with a disappointing 4-1 loss in the conference semifinals to the Minnesota Timberwolves, a series that highlighted both their potential and their limitations.
Butler, acquired to be a co-star alongside Curry and Green, was expected to provide the scoring punch and clutch playmaking that characterized his tenure with the Miami Heat.
However, his performance against Minnesota revealed a troubling pattern of passivity, particularly in moments when Curry was sidelined.
NBA: Playoffs-Golden State Warriors at Minnesota Timberwolves
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While Butler’s playmaking ability shone in the series, his reluctance to attack Minnesota’s defense allowed the Timberwolves to focus their strategies on clogging the paint and daring less reliable scorers to shoot from outside.
This deference may be rooted in his adjustment to Golden State’s egalitarian system built around Curry.
In Miami, Butler was the undisputed leader, taking 18-20 shots per game in the playoffs.
However, in Golden State, with Curry’s gravity and Green’s playmaking, Butler often assumed a facilitator role, averaging 5.6 assists per game in the regular season following the trade.
While this adaptability contributed to the Warriors achieving a 23-5 record when Curry, Green, and Butler played together, it diminished his scoring aggression during the playoffs.
For the Warriors to contend in the 2025-26 playoffs, Butler must embrace a more assertive scoring role.
He needs to attack the rim consistently, command the mid-range game, and adopt a closer mentality. High-level versatility in basketball is invaluable; fewer counters for a team means fewer ways to defend against them.
The combination of Butler and Curry offers an exceptional recipe for success.
Potential trade options for a young and dynamic scorer
Jordan Poole was a bridge between different eras for the Warriors, but following a tumultuous end to Poole’s tenure in Golden State, the team has lacked a consistent shot-creating scorer capable of impacting all three levels of play, which became evident in the playoffs.
Jonathan Kuminga, a restricted free agent, is the Warriors’ most valuable trade asset.
He displayed flashes of brilliance after Curry’s injury in the playoffs but has yet to establish the discipline needed for sustained high-level performance.
Kuminga possesses immense talent and is likely to attract interest from potential rebuilding teams.
However, there are several options around the league that the Warriors could consider acquiring via trade this offseason.
Coby White, Warriors
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Toronto Raptors F Brandon Ingram – Ingram’s smooth mid-range game, ability to create off the dribble, and playmaking skills make him a versatile scorer who could thrive alongside Curry’s off-ball movement. His proficiency in pick-and-roll situations would diversify Golden State’s offense, adding an additional layer of versatility. Although he signed a three-year extension with the Raptors in February, a sign-and-trade involving Kuminga remains a possibility.
New Orleans Pelicans F Trey Murphy III – A restricted free agent in 2025, Murphy is a sharpshooting slasher with great athleticism, having averaged 39.2% from three-point range over three seasons. His ability to score off catch-and-shoot opportunities and attack closeouts makes him a natural fit for Golden State’s motion offense. Murphy could effectively share the court with Butler at the 3/4 position, providing scoring potential (14-18 points per game) without needing to handle the ball primarily, which would preserve the usage rates of Curry and Butler.
Chicago Bulls G Coby White – With explosive scoring, effective pull-up shooting, and the ability to execute pick-and-roll plays, Coby White is a dynamic offensive threat. His $12 million salary, locked in through 2026, is team-friendly. However, Chicago’s rebuild around Josh Giddey might make him available. White can excel on or off the ball, thriving in Steve Kerr’s motion offense alongside Curry and Butler.
The Warriors still have another championship run left in the tank
In a league where youth and athleticism are reshaping the landscape, the Warriors continue to demonstrate their competitiveness by relying on their past successes while also adapting to the present.
The path to another title won’t be easy, but with Curry’s shooting, Butler’s resilience, and Kerr’s strategic thinking, Golden State has the necessary tools to climb the Western Conference standings once again. Although the dynasty has evolved, it is far from over.