The revamped Golden State Warriors looked like a true contender after the first few weeks of 2024-25. Behind red-hot three-point shooting, palpable all-court chemistry and a roster overflowing with proven veteran depth, the Dubs raced out to a dominant 12-3 start, begging the question of whether they really needed to bring in a long-awaited second star behind Steph Curry.
That honeymoon ended almost as soon as it started, with a rash of injuries and absences pushing Golden State below .500 at the trade deadline. Enter Jimmy Butler, and with him an immediate late-season surge up the standings that has the Warriors and their legion of fans worldwide dreaming of yet another title.
Golden State knows what to expect from its trio of future Hall-of-Famers in the playoffs. Curry will stoke imminent fear in the heart of defenses even if he’s not draining jumpers from all over the floor. “Playoff Jimmy” may not be readily available at this late stage of his career, but Butler’s rare blend of instincts and physicality is sure to make life easier on teammates and hellish for opponents regardless. Green is bound to be a difference-maker on both ends whether or not he struggles to score and is limited by size and athleticism in the paint.
Beyond that veteran trio, though, the Warriors won’t exactly enter the postseason with vintage strength in numbers. Their only role players with ample experience playing under basketball’s brightest lights are the likes of Gary Payton II, Buddy Hield and Kevon Looney. Moses Moody and Jonathan Kuminga own less than 400 playoff minutes between them, while Brandin Podziemski’s lone taste of the postseason came in last year’s disastrous play-in loss to the Sacramento Kings.
Even peak performance from Curry, Butler and Green won’t be enough to take Golden State on a deep run into late May and June. The Warriors bookended the dynasty with championships won by the whole looming much larger than the sum of their individual parts. Can they manage that necessary alchemy again when the playoffs tipoff in mid-April, just over two months removed from forming a new identity on the fly around Butler?
Let’s break down the postseason viability of Golden State’s supporting cast, focusing on player-specific question marks with answers that will go a long way toward informing this team’s chances to raise another Larry O’Brien trophy.
