With the newly realigned Big 3 of Steph Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler, the Golden State Warriors are giving it potentially one last shot at making a run to the NBA Finals.

Falling 4-1 to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round of the playoffs as Curry left with a Grade 1 left hamstring strain, the focus now shifts to how the Warriors will be able to put together a roster with enough depth that includes scoring, rebounding, and rim protecting for the 2025-26 season. 

Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. will have some versatility and options in free agency that ESPN’s Bobby Marks relays might go down.

The first piece that Golden State will be able to work with is having up to four first-round picks available to trade on the night the draft starts. Those picks are 2026, 2028, 2030 (if 1-20), and 2032. The Warriors will also have the rights to swap first-round picks in the next seven years if their 2030 pick is in the top 20, Marks said.

“But the issue will be whether the Warriors can put together a salary package that is substantial enough for a trade without including Draymond Green or Jimmy Butler III. Curry, Butler, and Green comprise 85% of Golden State’s payroll. The remaining six players under contract will earn a total of $30 million next season. The salary constraints are why Jonathan Kuminga plays a critical part in the Warriors’ offseason,”

According to Marks, the Warriors are expected to tender Kuminga a one-year, $7.9 million contract for the 2025-26 season, making him a restricted free agent.

“With Brooklyn as the only team to offer a starting salary of $20 million or more (Golden State would have the right to match), the best option could be exploring a sign-and-trade,” he said.

Two weeks away from the June 29 deadline, much of how the Warriors’ offseason plays out first must be decided based on how Kuminga’s contract is structured, and if Golden State opts for a sign-and-trade, there are some obstacles.

First, Kuminga’s new contract would have to be a three-year deal, with the first season guaranteed. Second, only 50% of the contract and its outgoing salary is used in a trade, not the full amount, Marks said.

This means that if the salary for the first year is $30 million, only $15 million counts as outgoing salary, and $30 million is incoming for the acquiring team. A potential sign-and-trade doesn’t favor the Warriors, who are $25 million below the first apron and would not be allowed to trade for a player earning more than that amount unless an additional salary is included.