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Following the conclusion of the 2025-26 season, the idea of the Golden State Warriors failing to make a significant roster move or two to strengthen their odds of ending the Stephen Curry era with a bang seemed unfathomable.
Surely, the seven-time NBA champions wouldn’t let their future Hall of Fame point guard down after everything he’s helped the franchise accomplish, would they? It appears to be a legitimate possibility one month after the conclusion of the NBA Finals, and, shockingly, the Dubs reportedly are content to surround Curry with the same lackluster supporting cast in 2026-27.
“The Warriors would seem to have the contract-matching flexibility and first-round draft picks to execute such a move (acquiring another star in a trade to help them land LeBron James), though there remain continued signs that the front office is content if they have to run it back with mostly the same roster,” ESPN’s Anthony Slater wrote last Thursday.
Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey isn’t ready to give up on Golden State’s star hunt just yet, though, citing that the franchise should be open to parting with the future Hall of Fame star to help them land a high-caliber contributor.
“With or without LeBron, the Warriors are in dire need of help at just about every spot on the roster,’ Bailey wrote Wednesday. “And that's particularly tough to find when you have a $56.8 million salary on the books for someone who likely won't play a single minute.”
“It's easier said than done, but Golden State needs to unload the Jimmy Butler contract (which is at least expiring after this season) for anyone who can be helpful in 2026-27.
"That is, unless the Warriors have decided they can't afford to push for one last title with Stephen Curry. Getting a team to take on Butler's deal would likely require more than a sales pitch on cap flexibility. Golden State would likely have to attach picks to him.”
“For a team that is almost certainly going to start a new era soon, that's risky. "But when you think about all Curry has done for the Warriors organization, it's hard to imagine the front office settling on, ‘Just go have fun out there for the last couple years’. He's earned a little aggression, even if it's also foolhardy.”
Bailey is spot-on. The Warriors can’t expect to make a splash on the trade market without using Butler as their primary trade chip.
The former Miami Heat standout forward has been a positive addition to Golden State. Still, his lucrative salary and lengthy ACL recovery should prompt a blockbuster, franchise-elevating trade if the organization is serious about hanging another championship banner in Oracle Arena.
Ultimately, it may not happen, but there’s no question that it’s the only logical path to flipping the script next season.
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