With another blockbuster win over Houston in Game 4, the Warriors are just a win away from round 2 of the ongoing NBA Playoffs. Yes, Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler have been sensational, but considering they might not continue their form for too long, the Dubs are feeling the urgency louder than ever. It’s not that HC Steve Kerr did not have any succession planning, but things did not work the way the Warriors expected them to. And while Curry’s Warriors look poised for another championship, this Sunday night, their future planning got even messier.

The Warriors’ ongoing playoff run has already been the highlight of the week, but the news that sent shockwaves across the Western Conference was the season-ending injury of Damian Lillard. Now, here is the twist: With Lillard already out for the year, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s chances to leave Milwaukee become even stronger. During his 12 years in Milwaukee, Antetokounmpo has been phenomenal, to say the least, but to what avail? See, the Bucks are not the Lakers, who can just land another superstar overnight. But with Lillard out of the picture, Milwaukee might be left with only one real move: grant Giannis his long-standing wish—to join forces with Steph Curry.

Antetokounmpo’s admiration for Curry is no secret, and Curry’s off-ball style is much less dependent on direct interaction with a teammate than Lillard’s pick-and-roll game. So, you can not rule out the Warriors. Sam Amick of The Athletic even confirmed the Warriors’ interest in Antetokounmpo. “We know that Joe Lacob has had dreams of Giannis coming the Warriors’ way for a very long time. Again, unlikely, but Khris Middleton is gonna be a free agent next summer… I think Giannis is worth monitoring,” Amick said on The TK Podcast. Now, if, by any chance, Antetokounmpo pushes for a trade to the Bay Area, you wonder where does this leave Jonathan Kuminga?

The ripple effects in the Bay Area? Massive! Because if Giannis becomes available sooner than expected, the Warriors want to be at the front of the line — even if it costs them players they once called “the future.” Reports have already surfaced that the Warriors supposedly have dreams of adding both Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jimmy Butler within the next few seasons. And now, with the window cracking open, don’t be surprised if Mike Dunleavy makes any move.

As for Jonathan Kuminga, the writing had been on the wall even before Sunday.

The seventh overall pick in 2021 was once seen as Golden State’s next torchbearer — athletic, explosive, dripping with potential. But even as he averaged 15.3 points this season, doubts never faded. Shooting inconsistencies, defensive lapses, a lack of synergy alongside Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler… it all piled up.

When Butler arrived at the trade deadline and immediately got a two-year, $110 million commitment, the message was clear: The future can wait. Kuminga’s minutes vanished. His postseason role evaporated. And according to longtime Warriors insider Tim Kawakami, the direction is obvious: “The likely situation is Kuminga’s not going to be on the Warriors next season.”

The dream of grooming Kuminga into a future star? Buried under the urgency of one last run with Curry. Now?

With the door opening on Giannis’ availability, Kuminga’s days in the Bay feel numbered. In fact, reports have already surfaced that the Warriors supposedly have dreams of adding both Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jimmy Butler within the next few seasons. And now, with the window cracking open, fans are pleading with Mike Dunleavy to make it happen.

If Mike Dunleavy Can Make It Happen, Fans Want All In

The moment Lillard hit the floor, Warriors Twitter erupted with one shared sentiment: Go get Giannis. Whatever it takes.

Fans didn’t hold back: “Trade Kuminga ASAP for Giannis, that should be low hanging fruit,” one fan declared, capturing the boiling impatience across the fanbase. It wasn’t just wishful thinking — it was a demand.

“One last ride with the Chef. Make it happen,” urged another, nodding to Stephen Curry’s ticking clock. Curry turned 37 this season — and while he remains elite, history is cruel to undersized guards after 35. The Warriors know they’re not chasing five more years; they’re chasing one, maybe two.

“Please Dunleavy, you’re our only hope,” another wrote, humorously borrowing the famous “Star Wars” line. But behind the meme was real urgency. Golden State gambled once with Durant in 2016, and it paid off with multiple titles. Fans are begging for the front office to take that swing again.

Of course, the harsh reality quickly seeped into the comment sections, too.

“With what assets lmaooo,” sighed one commenter, a brutal but honest assessment. The Warriors spent years emptying the cupboard: Wiseman failed, draft picks have been middling, and massive contracts for Curry, Butler, and Draymond clog the books.

“You’d have to fire Dunleavy to even have a chance at Giannis — Giannis hates that man’s guts,” another fan pointed out, referencing longstanding rumors that Antetokounmpo and his camp have never forgiven Mike Dunleavy Jr. for past tensions during their early Milwaukee overlap. (Dunleavy was briefly a Buck while Giannis was rising.) And yet, for a fanbase built on miracles — We Believe, the Kevin Durant summer, Wiggins redemption arcs — hope still simmers.

“Dunleavy makes it happen, I’m buying a Dunleavy Warriors jersey,” joked one fan, echoing the almost mythical belief that the Warriors, somehow, always find a way. It wouldn’t be the first time Golden State swung big when the dynasty teetered. After Kevin Durant’s Achilles tear and departure in 2019, they turned D’Angelo Russell, a questionable fit, into Andrew Wiggins and a first-round pick. That pivot helped deliver a fourth championship.

Could history be ready to repeat itself? Golden State once tried to have it both ways — win now while developing the next wave. But the future is here. It’s Steph Curry’s aging legs. It’s Jimmy Butler’s battered frame. It’s Draymond Green’s slowing mobility.

Jonathan Kuminga, for all his potential, no longer fits the plan. And if Damian Lillard’s injury truly accelerates Giannis’ exit? Mike Dunleavy won’t have the luxury of patience anymore. Warriors fans are ready. Is Dunleavy?