It’s been a tough summer for the Golden State Warriors. All eyes have been on the current contract saga involving Jonathan Kuminga, and the lack of movement the front office has made in the free agency market. Yet, even with all of the distractions currently taking place, it’s worth remembering that this is still a roster built around the exceptional talents of Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler.

In a recent episode of ESPN’s First Take, Stephen A. Smith listed Butler as one of his “top-five players to watch” next season. He pointed to how Butler can help ease some of the pressure on Curry’s shoulders while also proving himself as a potential driving force for Steve Kerr’s team. Smith also pinpointed Butler’s quiet postseason as a potential motivating factor for the veteran forward.

“You can’t ask him (Curry) at age 37 to continue to do that (continually move without the ball and lead the team’s offense) without stepping up and showing Jimmy Buckets who the hell Jimmy Buckets is, reminding the world of Jimmy Buckets and what he brings to the table. Didn’t see much of that against Minnesota after Steph Curry went down. Got to make up for that this upcoming season, a full season under your belt in Golden State, because if Jimmy Butler and Steph Curry are on their game, noise can be made in the Western Conference.”

Butler played in 30 regular-season games for the Warriors last season. And while it was clear he was still getting to grips with the team’s offensive and defensive systems, he continually found ways to make a positive impact. During those 30 games, he averaged 17.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game. However, his showings during the postseason were more subdued than expected.

Still, with a full training camp and preseason as a member of the Warriors roster, Butler will be primed for a strong showing in the 2025-26 season. If he’s locked in, and both Curry and Green can remain healthy, it could be a memorable season in the Bay Area, especially if Kerr finds a way to unlock Butler’s relentless scoring within the flor of the team’s motion-based offense.

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This article originally appeared on Warriors Wire: Warriors’ Jimmy Butler named a ‘top-five player to watch’ next season