By Rory Carroll
(Reuters) – With Stephen Curry watching from the bench, the Warriors season came to a close on Wednesday with a 121-110 Game Five loss to the Timberwolves, leaving the franchise to now decide how to proceed with an aging core thirsty for one more taste of glory.
The second-round playoff series changed completely when Curry strained his left hamstring in Golden State’s Game One win. The team never recovered, losing four straight games to the younger and more athletic Minnesota squad.
Warriors players and coaches were quick to credit the Wolves for sending them on early vacation, but the unmistakable reality was that without Curry, the Warriors lacked sufficient firepower to compete.
“I don’t want to take anything away from what Minnesota just accomplished, so there’s no sense in even talking about Steph,” head coach Steve Kerr told reporters after the game.
Kerr, under whose leadership the Warriors became an NBA dynasty with titles in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2022, said it was “a hell of a run” after the acquisition of Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline revived their postseason hopes.
“Jimmy changed our season, flipped everything for us and gave us a chance,” Kerr said.
“We became one of the best teams in the league.”
But that league, especially the stacked Western Conference, continues to get better, and the Warriors also have to contend with Father Time.
Curry, who was likely to play in Game Six of the series had the Warriors been able to extend it, is 37. The team’s emotional leader, Draymond Green, and Butler are both 35.
Figuring out who to surround them with to maximize what’s left of their championship window will be essential.
Top of the list is deciding what to do with Jonathan Kuminga.
The 22-year-old did not see much floortime late in the season or during the first-round series against the Houston Rockets but took advantage of his opportunity when Curry went down, averaging 24.2 points per game over the last four contests.
The Congolese forward is a restricted free agent, and given his potential, the Warriors will either have to match other team’s offers that could be as high as $30 million per season or let him go.
If they decide Kuminga isn’t the right fit, the Warriors will either need to add a big star or younger role players who can share the scoring burden with Curry and Butler
Kerr said he was optimistic about the team’s future.
“I’m excited. We’ve got obviously Jimmy and Dray and Steph all coming back,” he said.
“Our young players performed really well this year. There’s a lot to look forward to.”
(Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles; Editing by Lincoln Feast.)
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