According to Spotrac, the Warriors (48-34 this season) will have the highest payroll in the NBA next season and are roughly $111M over the cap. If the team were competing for titles, this would be OK, but Golden State is stuck in mediocrity and relying on older players who are injury risks.

The Warriors' midseason acquisition of Jimmy Butler ignited excitement for a possible championship pursuit. When both Butler and Stephen Curry shared the court, Golden State posted a dominant 23-7 record, showcasing the peak of what could've been a lethal duo.

Zachary Weinberger is a credentialed Miami Heat reporter and an Associate Editor covering the NBA at-large, NCAA Football, and NCAA Basketball for ClutchPoints. He graduated from Florida Atlantic University in 2022, covering sports at the FAU University Press and later at The Palm Beach Post.

The Timberwolves now have a 2-1 lead after pulling out a clutch win on the road against the Warriors. Anthony Edwards turned it on in the second half, scoring 28 of his 36 points in the last two frames, while Julius Randle was a steady force throughout the game, racking up 24 points of his own.

You could see vestiges of what the Golden State Warriors used to be, what they hoped to be if everything flowed optimally. Stephen Curry bopping and hopping, paying no mind to the defense of Nickeil Alexander-Walker,

Ahead of Game 5, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr announced that Butler is now feeling well, having updated him earlier on Wednesday. "Steve Kerr says he talked to Jimmy Butler this morning and Butler told him he’s feeling good," Ohm Youngmisuk shared on X.

The quest for the Larry O'Brien Trophy is underway, with the best teams in the NBA working their way through the two-month playoff gauntlet.Though the Thunder and Cavs dominated their respective conferences during the regular season,

Stephen Curry has been cleared for shooting drills and light on-court workouts despite a strained left hamstring.