Facing the Minnesota Timberwolves ultimately proved to be too much. The Golden State Warriors crashed out in the second round of the Playoffs in Game 5. The Dubs’ season has ended, and Steph Curry’s push for a 5th ring? It’s over without him having much of a say. And now it seems the Warriors’ head coach, Steve Kerr, is looking towards the future. But not every player on the roster will be a part of it.

2024/25 was a tale of two seasons wrapped into one for the Dubs. In the first half, they were mediocre. But soon the arrival of Jimmy Butler breathed new life into the team. Their new GM, Mike Dunleavy, was the mastermind behind this trade. And it seems Steve Kerr is counting on Mike to work his magic once again.

“I mean, I’m excited. We got, obviously, you know, Jimmy and Dray and Steph all coming back… Second half of the season, we became one of the best teams in the league…We became a two-way basketball team. I think Mike Dunleavy is a superstar. I think what he’s done, in the last couple years, I have total faith in Mike and his ability to look at our team, figure out what we need, and help us get better this summer. And, so I’m excited for what’s ahead,” said Kerr.

And the writing on the wall is clear. 3 out of the 17 players on the Dubs roster are safe. But for the 14 players not named Jimmy Butler, Stephen Curry, or Draymond Green. Well, their days in the Bay Area may be numbered depending on what Mike Dunleavy decides. And speaking of him—this is where it gets interesting. Because while Kerr has full faith in his GM, Dunleavy is staring down one of the trickiest offseasons in recent Warriors history. A look at the team’s salary cap figures paints a pretty grim picture.

According to Spotrac, the Warriors are nearly $59 million over the cap and currently hard-capped at the first apron, with a razor-thin margin of just $351,113 below that threshold. That’s not much wiggle room, especially if you’re trying to reshape a contender. They’re also just barely under the second apron—by about $11 million. And with over $22 million in cap holds and the eighth-most expensive active roster in the NBA, every dollar will matter. Translation?

The Warriors’ options this summer are severely limited. Trades will have to be money-in, money-out. Free agent signings? Only if they’re cheap or cleverly structured. So when Kerr says Dunleavy has to “figure out what we need and help us get better,” that’s more than just encouragement—that’s pressure.

With the departure of key veterans and the financial vice tightening, this Warriors summer won’t just be a rebuild or a retool—it might be a full recalibration. Dunleavy’s decisions in the next few months will define whether this second-half surge was a fluke—or the beginning of a new Warriors era. But that doesn’t mean all hope is lost for these Dubs players who aren’t a part of the big three we mentioned. Steve Kerr talked very highly of them and his experience coaching them. So maybe there’s still hope?

Steve Kerr looks back at the 2024/25 season after Timberwolves bounce the Warriors

The Dubs may not have won the title this season. But after getting off to a 15-15 start to their season, they did extremely well after the trade deadline to make something out of their season. And this is what Steve Kerr says he’ll remember when he reflects upon the 2024/25 season.

“I will remember this season for the way this team, was connected and, persevered…But I enjoyed coaching, every single guy, on this team. All you can really ask as a coach is, if for your team to commit to each other, to the cause. And for guys to fight through adversity, when things don’t go their way. And we saw that over and over again with all of our guys, and that’s that’s really satisfying. So  I thoroughly enjoyed this season, love our guys. Like I said, it’s sad that it’s over, but it’s a really fun year,” said Kerr.

And this will give the 14 players some hope. After all, Kerr is someone who seems to genuinely enjoy coaching his players. And what he said is the truth. Every player on the Dubs roster did their best to help the team this year.

Whether it was Buddy Hield hitting three after three to send the Rockets packing. Or Brandin Podziemski cooking the Lakers. But this summer will bring a lot of changes for the Dubs. And who makes the cut will ultimately come down to Kerr and Dunleavy.