Getty

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 19: Jimmy Butler III #10 of the Golden State Warriors stands on the court during their game against the Miami Heat at Chase Center on January 19, 2026 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

The Golden State Warriors missed the playoffs this season because of various injuries. Stephen Curry missed 39 games this season. He tried to singlehandedly win two play-in games to get Golden State into the playoffs, but failed to do so.

Jimmy Butler tore his ACL before the trade deadline and ended up only playing 38 games. Once he was injured, any hopes of the Warriors winning a title were out the window. There were rumors that they could include him in a trade package at the deadline for a superstar.

They did not end up doing that. In fact, NBA insider Jake Fischer reported that they never entertained doing that.

Warriors Never Considered Trading Jimmy Butler

According to Fischer, Golden State never thought about parting ways with Butler, despite the injury.

“They refused to discuss trading away Butler in February, league sources say, even after Butler was lost for the season to a torn ACL,” Fischer wrote.

The Warriors traded for Butler last season from the Miami Heat. They were hoping he would be the perfect superstar to pair with Curry. When those two stars share the floor together, Golden State is a very good team. The issue is that neither of them shares the floor very often.

Because of the timing of the injury to Butler, he should be ready to go near the start of the season. It’s unlikely that the Warriors will try to move him in the offseason, either. Instead, they will try to add another superstar alongside him and Curry. They have three superstars in mind for that.

Butler’s large contract is also hard to move. Butler is making $56.8 million next season, which will be an expiring deal. If the Warriors decide they want to move on from him, it would make sense for them to do so next year.

Golden State is in Store for an Eventful Offseason

The Warriors will have several things to figure out this summer. Other than trying to find another superstar, they have to figure out the future of Steve Kerr. He doesn’t have a contract for next season, although Kerr has said he doesn’t want to coach for another team.

Curry has voiced his support for bringing Kerr back. If they don’t, Golden State will have to bring in an experienced voice whom Curry and Draymond Green respect. That might be hard to do with so few candidates fitting that bill available this hiring cycle.

This season, the Warriors had just the 19th-ranked offense in the regular season. Getting Butler back into the lineup should help with that, in addition to adding another star in the summer. Sticking with Butler was likely the right move by the front office, although next season will be the true barometer for that decision.

Golden State is close to a rebuild if they are not able to go deep in the playoffs next season.