Golden State Warriors 2025 Season Review
Calendar icon Published 05 Aug 11:55

Golden State Warriors 2025 Season Review

Kaleb Vanderhorst

The 2024-25 season was tough, to say the least, for the Golden State Warriors, falling far from where they were just a few short years ago. As the team navigated dramatic roster changes and playoff battles while attempting to maximize the championship window of their aging core, they just got pulled too far in different directions.

The Warriors finished the regular season with a 48-34 record, securing the 7th seed in the Western Conference – a solid result but a far cry from their past success.

Performance

The Warriors’ season can be divided into two phases: before and after the Jimmy Butler trade on February 5, 2025. They started the season hot, going 12-3 in their first 15 games. However, they suddenly fell apart out of nowhere, losing four games to end November, posting two three-game losing skids to end December, and only winning four out of their 13 games.

The mid-season Jimmy Butler trade was a major turning point. He was acquired in a five-team trade that sent Andrew Wiggins, Dennis Schröder, Kyle Anderson, Lindy Waters III, and the Warriors’ 2025 first-round pick (protected 1-10) to Miami.

Stephen Curry continued to be his legendary self, averaging 24.5 points, 6.0 assists and 4.4 rebounds in 70 games in 2024-25 even as he ages into his 30s. He was also picked to play in his eleventh All-Star game.

The 37-year-old is by no means his 2016 self, but the guard has had a couple of solid performances throughout the year, including a season-high 56 points and 12 three-pointers in the Warriors’ 121-115 victory over the Magic in Orlando.

As for Butler, he didn’t overwhelm anyone with superstar production, averaging a fairly modest 16.4 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 1.3 steals in 31.7 minutes per game in Golden State. Still, his impact was bigger than the stats show.

The Warriors have outscored opponents by a healthy 11.3 points per 100 with Butler on the floor. This is huge, considering that, before his arrival, they had a -2.9 mark with Steph off the floor. That figure jumped to plus-9.9 points per 100 in non-Steph minutes after the trade.

The team’s defensive transformation was also pretty big, with more quick and disruptive players on the court. The rate at which they’re forcing turnovers has spiked from 14.6% of opponents’ trips before the trade all the way up to 17.6%.

Playoff Performance

The Warriors’ playoff run was a rollercoaster ride, showcasing their championship pedigree at times but also revealing their age and limitations down the stretch.

After clinching a playoff berth for the first time since 2023 following a win over the Memphis Grizzlies in the play-in tournament, they faced the second-seeded Houston Rockets in a gruelling first-round series.

The Warriors opened with a commanding 95-85 Game 1 win in Houston, with Jimmy Butler and Stephen Curry combining for 56 points. The series wasn’t all that easy, though, changing on a dime for Game 2 with Houston winning Game 2 109-94 and splitting Games 3 and 4 at Chase Center.

The Warriors did manage to grab that crazy Game 4 win, which took them to 3-1 on the back of Brandin Podziemski’s surprising 26-point performance. However, Game 5 in Houston saw Fred VanVleet and Amen Thompson combine for 51 points as the Rockets demolished them 131-116.

Game 6 at Chase Center was again not too hot for the Warriors, with VanVleet’s 29 points leading a 115-107 dub, forcing a Game 7. Golden State tripled the Rockets’ three-point output in Game 7, making 18 threes compared to only six for Houston, ultimately winning 103-89.

The second-round matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves started off strong, but ended in tragedy. In Game 1 at Target Center, the Warriors held Minnesota to just 11 points in the second quarter. Buddy Hield continued his hot shooting with 24 points on five three-pointers, while Green added 18 points in the 99-88 win. However, disaster struck when Curry left the game with a hamstring injury.

An MRI later revealed a Grade 1 left hamstring strain, with the Warriors targeting Game 6 as the earliest window for Curry’s return. Without their floor general and offensive engine, their offence fell flat on its face. They lost Games 2, 3, 4, and 5, bowing out of the series in five games.

The series-ending Game 5 in Minnesota was exciting to watch, but the Warriors just didn’t have enough in them to pull through. Butler played 43 minutes, Green emptied the tank defensively, and role players like Moody and Podziemski gave everything they had. The 121-110 final score didn’t reflect how hard the Warriors had fought, but without Curry, they simply didn’t have enough firepower to match a younger, healthier Timberwolves side.

Next Season Outlook

Looking ahead to the 2025-26 season, the team face some significant challenges with their roster construction.

They traded their first-round pick as part of the Butler deal but made strategic moves in the draft, grabbing picks 52 and 59 by trading the 41st selection to Phoenix. They selected Alex Toohey, a versatile 6’8″ wing from Australia.

The franchise’s commitment to Butler is clear, with his $121 million extension highlighting Golden State’s win-now mentality. With Curry, Butler, and Green all 35 or older next season, the Warriors have picked up nearly $140 million in salary commitments to their big three alone.

However, for the first time in years, they actually have some room to look at players financially, with almost $120 million under the cap.

All in all, even with the challenges of age and competition, the 2024-25 season was solid for the Warriors, and they should still be able to contend. The Butler trade brought a much-needed spark to the team, and with some smart roster management, they could make another push for the Finals.

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