One day after the Warriors’ season ended with a loss in Game 5 of the Western Conference semifinal series against Minnesota, Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green appeared before the media to take stock of the season and give their opinion on how they believe their team can aspire to the ring with some improvements in the squad and if health accompanies them, something that has not happened in the current campaign.
“Our contracts – mine, Draymond’s, Steve’s and Jimmy’s – are two more years,” Curry said. “And we want this streak to last as long as possible. But it’s just about what this team needs for next year: answering those questions over the summer, and that everyone prepares individually to get through another 82-game season with a little more peace of mind in the final stretch, where we don’t have to go through a two-month challenge just to get to the playoffs.”
Our contracts – mine, Draymond’s, Steve’s and Jimmy’s – are two more years. And we want this streak to last as long as possible
“I’m excited because there’s clarity in the directive, although there are a lot of decisions that need to be made over the summer,” Curry explained, who suffered a grade 1 strain in his left hamstring in the second quarter of the first game against Minnesota and did not play again in the series. Without him, the Warriors lost four straight games. “I’m disappointed about it. We imagined and believe we could have won it all if we had been healthy. But you have to move on.”
We imagine and believe that we could have won it all if we had been healthy. But we have to move on
He believes the Warriors have the makings of a championship team in the next two years: “If you look at the last two months and even the first-round series against Houston, when we had our minds set on a goal, we had enough to achieve it and get to a point where we were playing very high-level basketball. Does that mean we can win a championship? I think so,” he said confidently.
Jimmy Butler delighted with his role
Jimmy Butler, who joined the Warriors in February, took a positive view of these months despite the elimination: “I’m completely satisfied with who I am as a basketball player, with the way I play. And to come here and know that I’m second to Steph, one of the greatest players of all time,I think it’s really good. I can come here and be his partner for a couple more years, hopefully. It’s just refreshing.”
I landed here, we started off on the right foot and I feel comfortable. I’m happy. I got my joy back, and I’m very lucky to be here
“I landed here, we got off on the right foot and I feel comfortable. I’m happy. I got my joy back, as Buddy [Hield] would say, and I’m very fortunate to be here,” Butler said, who averaged 17.9 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists, boosting the Warriors’ play with his tremendous consistency on both sides of the court and his creative play. “Also, you have young talent of the highest level who want to succeed, who want to be great, and the energy is at its highest point. I don’t think you can ask for much more.”
The most important change we needed was someone like Jimmy Butler. And we did it. I think the hardest part is already done
As for Draymond Green, he was pleased with Butler’s arrival, which gives his team a boost: “The biggest change we needed was someone like Jimmy Butler. And we did it. I think the hardest part is already done. It’s harder to get players like that through trades or in free agency. It just doesn’t happen very often. That part is already done. It puts us in a much better situation for this preseason than last year, when we were looking for that.”
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