Warriors' offseason plans revealed: not planning to aggressively pursue Antetokounmpo There is still a possibility of Kuminga's contract extension

On May 15, Beijing time, Warriors reporter Slater and Thompson II jointly reported on the team's post-exit situation and offseason plans. Warriors owner Lacob doesn't plan to make major changes to the roster, and there's no indication that they'll be actively involved in the battle for the alphabet. The Warriors and Kuminga are still likely to renew their contracts, they value Podzemski very much, and have rejected offers from multiple teams for Podzemski, the main content of the article is as follows-

Curry slumped in a chair in the visiting locker room at the target center, his head tilted back, his eyes staring straight to the ceiling. The frustration was palpable on his expressionless face.

The Warriors are looking forward to Curry's return from injury in Game 6. But when asked if he would play if the series continued, Curry had no intention of thinking about "ifs" — it didn't make sense anymore, and the Timberwolves didn't give them a chance.

"The only consolation is that we had the chance," Curry said, "and that's why it's the deadliest blow and makes the outcome worse." Nobody wants to be out like this. "

Five minutes after the final whistle, Warriors owner Lacob couldn't hide his true emotions after politely praising the home team.

"It's disappointing," Lacob said, "and I really hope we can continue the series, and I ...... He paused, understanding that his next words might be underestimating the Timberwolves, but he said it anyway:"I'm pretty sure that if we had Stephen [Curry], we'd win this series. "

Curry thought he had a chance to play Game 6, but there was a hint of reluctance in his voice, reminding people of the uncertainty of the hamstring injury: "I don't know because I'm not back to play yet." The only possibility is that we have three days...... If you can play a real game, you can test your condition and then go on the field. But I never waited for that moment. "

However, hypothetical rewriting of history is irrelevant. Just like Game 5 of the 2016 Finals, what would have happened if Green hadn't been suspended? But he did get suspended, and the Warriors lost to the Cavaliers. Nine years later, Curry suffered a hamstring strain, and the Warriors lost to the Timberwolves.

But Lacob's attitude is crucial to unpacking management's plans for the future。 According to team sources, the core decision-makers — Lacob, general manager Mike Dunleavy and assistant general manager Kirk Lacob — are not planning to make major roster changes, but instead plan to restructure the rotation under Curry, Butler and Green, still believing the veteran core is competitive。

"In a sense, being here [in the Western Conference semifinals] is a kind of victory," Lacob said, "yes, we lost 4-1, which is bad." But the opponent is in excellent form,They also eliminated the Lakers, who have two of the best players in the world, 4-1。 We're missing our core players. So we can sit here and imagine all sorts of 'what ifs,' but I can't really be too critical about the outcome, given that we've lost our best fight." "

When Butler and Curry were on the floor at the same time, the Warriors went 23-7 and defeated the Rockets, who were second in the West, in the first round. They firmly believe that if they stay healthy, the duo could have made it to the Western Conference finals and even further.

But this consolation that "we could have played against any team" only adds to the urgency that the Warriors must make the necessary adjustments. Curry said that usually when a team feels close to success, it doesn't seem like it needs to make a major change, but he's been there too many times and knows it's not wise to stand still. Butler's contract matches Curry's, and both men have two years left on their contracts.

"On the face of it, that's why he's on a two-year contract extension – and we're confident of a successful run-inCurry said of Butler, "and we've proven that over the past three months. Now it's time to figure out how to take the whole team to the next level. One person can't win the championship, neither can two people, you have to rely on the team. "

According to league sources, there is no indication that the Warriors will be actively involved in a potential battle for the Alphabet brother. Heading into the offseason, the team's internal plan is focused on how to restructure role players around Curry and Butler rather than chasing another star.

Jonathan Kuming's addition is the most critical variable. The Warriors are expected to make a $10.2 million qualifying offer to him as a restricted free agent in July, giving the team some control when it comes to negotiating his future.

Kuminga's four seasons with the Warriors have been tumultuous and the past few weeks have been a rollercoaster ride. Coach Kerr moved him out of the rotation during the series against the Rockets, bringing his lack of fit and uncertain future into the spotlight. But after Curry's injury, Kuminga re-entered the lineup and scored 18, 30, 23 and 26 points in the final four games against the Timberwolves.

"I heard the Timberwolves fans behind me talk about him all the time tonight," Lacob said, "and he's the only guy who can really defend [Edwards] and do it really well." He was DNP in the last round and was able to bounce back from it, which I really appreciate.I'm a big fan of him."

Lacob's appreciation of Kuminga is well known. He was a strong advocate for Kuminga in the 2021 draft and has supported him throughout his ups and downs. It's hard to believe that Lacob will let Kuminga leave for nothing after signing offers from other teams.League sources say the Warriors and Kuminga still have the possibility of contract extensions.

butSources also pointed out that the two sides are expected to explore a sign-before-swap option, which could both open up the market and theoretically land Kuminga with the desired contract and fresh start, as well as bring back rotation players with immediate value for the Warriors. Warriors management believes that they need to improve the size of the roster across the board.Especially in the center forward position。

But it's still mid-May, and Kuminga's future has not yet been determined. Dunleavy's team and Kuminga's agent, Aaron Turner, need to weigh the options.If he returns, there are rumors that Kerr will try more of a four-man duo of Curry, Kuminga, Green and Butler at the start of the new season, and Butler has also talked about training with Kuminga this summer。

"He's certainly got something to improve, but he's only 22," Lacob said, "and he's got a lot of potential and I think he should be part of our plans for the future." Now it's up to us to see how the market evolves, and we have a lot of evaluation work to do – not just me, but everyone, from the coaching staff to basketball operations. We'll sit down and talk about how to build the squad for next season and how he's going. "

Podzemski is another key figure for the Warriors' future. In G5, he had a series-best performance, scoring 28 points on 11-of-19 shooting, along with six rebounds and four assists. Although his outburst came too late and the Warriors were already in a desperate situation, it was a glimmer of hope for him after struggling in the first three games.

"There were moments in the series when he hesitated," Kerr said, "and I think he could have made 10 or 11 threes tonight and we needed those shots." I told him after the game, 'When you come back here next year, you can't turn down a single shot.' '"

Podzemski, the 19th pick in the 2023 draft, is the Warriors' most mature young player. As a rookie, he managed to enter the rotation and replace Klay Thompson. He had a sluggish start to the second season, but he found his groove in a bench role after the Butler trade. His basketball IQ and fighting spirit make him a valuable player.

But the Warriors may need him to do more, especially in this playoffs. It was his first trip to the playoffs, and he seemed overwhelmed for the most part, raising questions about whether he had enough scoring ability.

"It's the playoffs," Kerr said, "and I've been through it as a player, it's a mental battle...... It's easy to lose confidence. Opponents will target you with different tactics, and if you perform badly, everyone will discuss your shooting percentage and feel like you're alone. I was there. In regular season January, if you shoot 4-of-20 in two games and no one cares, but in the playoffs, everybody is writing and talking, and you feel exposed. It's a big part of the playoff experience, you have to understand to keep shooting and be aggressive. "

Not everyone agrees, but the Warriors chose to keep Podzemski last offseason rather than use his high-value cash out in the trade market.According to league sources, multiple teams have made attractive offers for Podzemski, but all have been rejected by the Warriors.

But this playoffs, the need for offensive firepower is even more urgent. Some members of management believe that exploring Podzemski's value could help bring in a ball-handler like Jordan Poole — a confident shooter and offensive creator who can share playmaking tasks with Curry and Butler. Both veterans will need rest and rotation for the regular season next season.

But Podzemski is only 22 years old, has a $3.6 million salary next season, and has intangible value. That makes him worth keeping, especially if he can be more confident on the offensive end. But it also means he still has trade value in the league.

Will they trade him as one of the few quality assets, or will they continue to nurture while he is on a team-friendly contract?

"I hope our young players can go one step further," Lacob said.I was annoyed when I saw those spam comments online saying 'this player garbage, that player garbage, the draft was terrible.'"。 Our draft isn't bad at all, these players are young, and they have to adapt to tough situations around experienced players, rather than just swiping up numbers. I think we drafted well and had some good young players. "

But the core structure of the team has remained unchanged for more than a decade. Kerr and Dunleavy are expected to stay, Butler is a new partner, Green is expected to stay with the team, and everything still revolves around Curry, who will start his 17th NBA season next October and remains the cornerstone of the team.

"I have a great coach and a great general manager," Lacob said, "and I have no complaints about them. Mike made a brilliant deal, and until then we had a win rate of less than 50% and looked like we had no future. We beat a very good up-and-coming team in the first round with a lot of athleticism and size, and I think it was a great win. Maybe this has left us too tired in this series to overcome. In the opening game against the Timberwolves, Stephen looked in good shape, right? But what can we do? The world is unpredictable. "