After bowing down to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 of the semifinals that ended their season, Jimmy Butler said that the future looks optimistic for the Golden State Warriors, but he remains uncertain as to whether he’ll be part of it or not. The 35-year-old forward did imply that conversations are going to be had along with Stephen Curry and Draymond Green.
“That’s a good question, that’s very good question. Maybe on the plane I don’t know. For sure this time this summer, but when it happens, it will happen,” said Butler. “Great, a bunch of great guys that work incredibly hard. Young talent that’s going to be incredibly successful in this league. It’s all about staying healthy as it always is and getting comfortable with one another,” the former Miami Heat superstar added when asked about the Warriors’ current roster.
Injuries ended the Warriors’ season
For as much as Butler and even Steve Kerr and Draymond Green didn’t want to use injuries as an excuse for their downfall this season, it’s hard not to think that was simply the case. The six-time All-Star badly hurt his back in the series against the Houston Rockets and had to play through a pelvis contusion for the rest of the playoffs. That, on top of Curry hurting his hamstring and being sidelined from Game 2 up to 5 of the semifinals, was the nail in the coffin for the Dubs.
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“Obviously, it’s very different when you don’t have Steph on the floor. I feel like everybody has to take more and play a different role. That’s just the game; injuries happen, but it is a lot different with Steph not there,” said Butler.
Without Curry, Butler had to be the main guy on offense for the Warriors, but unfortunately for the Dubs, he didn’t meet expectations. The five-time All-NBA awardee followed up his 14-point performance in Game 4 with a 17-point output on 4-11 shooting in the last game of the series. The Wolves’ suffocating defense was too much for Butler and his teammates, who also couldn’t stop their opponent’s firepower on the offensive side of the ball.
Kerr and Green are all in on Butler
Butler gave a coy answer when asked whether or not he’s certain that he’s staying on the Warriors after this season but his coach, Steve Kerr and teammate Draymond Green think that he will. Draymond in particular thinks that this core with him, Steph and Jimmy will be back stronger than ever and hopefully healthy when they’re in the same position next season.
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“I think we will be right back at it. It sucks to end this way, but we think we got the pieces to make another run at it and do it again. That’s going to be our mindset going into this summer. How do we improve? We got one of the best ownerships in the NBA, we know they’ll do whatever they feel is needed to help the team improve and us as players gotta get back in the lab and do what we need to do to get better. But I think come next year, we’ll be right back at it and give ourselves a chance again,” said Green.
Ultimately though, it will be up to the Warriors brass to decide what’s in store for the future of the franchise. Butler was an instrumental piece in turning their season around and was 23-7 when he played along with the NBA’s all-time leading three-point scorer. He’s given them enough hope that they can once again put together one more run until the sun sets for the Curry era in Golden State.