Just as the adrenaline from the NBA Finals starts to settle, the league isn’t slowing down—because NBA Draft Week is officially here. And yep, the excitement’s already brewing. Over two days, starting June 25, the league’s next generation will find their homes—and for the Warriors, all eyes are on pick No. 41. With trades, picks, and pressure in the mix, GM Mike Dunleavy is already deep in the war room, ready to make moves.

Dunleavy didn’t sugarcoat Golden State’s offseason reality. Speaking to reporters on Monday, he admitted that chasing elite names won’t be easy. “Only because just of our salary structure and the way it works with the amount of money you can use underneath the second apron,” Dunleavy said candidly. “That probably restricts it more than anything for us in terms of pursuing the best roster we can.” Translation: the Warriors are spending big already—and unless they work some serious cap gymnastics, the splashiest moves might stay off the table.

The numbers back up the concern. Entering the 2025–26 season, the Warriors already have a massive $139.63 million committed—about 90.2% of the salary cap—just to Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green, as reported by NBC Sports. And that’s without even factoring in a potential contract extension for rising star and restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga. The midseason addition of Jimmy Butler helped spark a strong playoff run, but it also nudged the team closer to the league’s dreaded second apron—a salary threshold that severely limits team-building flexibility. Dunleavy made it clear: “It’s just almost impossible for us to add players in the salary range of guys we were looking at last summer since we’ve added Jimmy.”

And therein lies the tension: Steph Curry, the face of the franchise, is now 37 years old and under contract for only two more seasons—until the end of 2026–27. The clock is ticking. Golden State’s front office knows that their window to maximize Curry’s remaining prime years is narrow, and the pressure to put a contending roster around him is higher than ever. That means being resourceful—“looking under every rock,” as Dunleavy put it. But even that requires caution. “There’s a few mechanisms that will hard cap you to these different aprons… when those trades do happen, it creates those hard caps at times… for us, a team that’s willing to spend a lot of money, you have to be careful about limiting yourself,” he said, pointing to the challenges they already faced last summer navigating the first apron just to land Butler.

Still, the Warriors won’t shy away from bold moves. Whether it’s Giannis Antetokounmpo—who reportedly has a strong relationship with Curry—or a veteran like Houston’s Stephen Adams, Golden State will keep their options open. Their stockpile of assets includes four first-rounders, multiple second-round picks, and enticing young talent like Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski. If a blockbuster trade becomes viable, they’ll be ready. As history has shown (cue: Kevin Durant in 2016), it’s never wise to count out Golden State when the stakes are high and the stars align.

Mike Dunleavy weighs trade options as Warriors hunt second-round value in 2025 NBA Draft

Mike Dunleavy isn’t making any bold promises ahead of Wednesday’s NBA Draft, but is keeping all doors open — even the unlikely ones. “You know, we’ll look at stuff,” Dunleavy said during his pre-draft media session. “I think most likely when you’re in the second round, it’s probably looking at moving up or back within that round. Is there a possibility we could move into the first round? Sure. I wouldn’t put it at highly likely, but, you know, you never know on draft night. You get calls and you explore things. You look at stuff, and we’ll continue to do that.” It’s a window into Golden State’s flexible, if somewhat restrained, approach this year. With no first-round pick (traded to Miami in the Jimmy Butler deal), the Warriors currently hold the 41st overall selection.

Dunleavy knows the odds of striking gold in the second round aren’t great, but he’s also confident in the team’s ability to find value where others might not. “I mean, I think generally the later you go, just the higher probability of the guy making it — that’s what we lean towards,” he said. “Usually, those guys have a nice, rounded skill set. They have maybe a glaring deficiency with size or athleticism or one blatant thing they’re missing, but they do a lot of other things really well. And maybe that’s how you can kind of beat the system a little bit and get a guy in here that can survive.”

Golden State’s recent draft history supports that outlook — from Trayce Jackson-Davis to Quinten Post, both second-rounders who cracked the rotation as rookies. And with Dunleavy eyeing traits like shooting, feel, and length in more polished college players, the Warriors are once again betting on basketball IQ and readiness over raw upside. Whether they move up, down, or stay put at 41, the strategy is clear: find someone who can help now — even if it’s just in a small way.

While Mike Dunleavy isn’t ruling out a first-round move, he’s realistic about Golden State’s tight financial situation. The Warriors are expected to stay nimble, seek undervalued prospects, and maximize impact without breaking the bank on draft night.