After stunning the Timberwolves in Game 1 without Stephen Curry, the Golden State Warriors never recovered. In the fight of their lives, they lost a fourth straight game. The Wolves advanced to the Conference Finals for the second straight season. As for the Warriors, their now diminished championship window adds greater pressure on Steve Kerr and the team. But do they think their current formation is capable of claiming a title?

The biggest discussion from the series will be around Curry missing the last four games. Had the Warriors been with the Chef, could the outcome of this series have been different? At first, Kerr didn’t want to undervalue what Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves had achieved.

“I don’t want to take away anything from what Minnesota accomplished. No sense in talking about Steph,” he said about the 37-year-old being forced out of the series due to a hamstring injury.

But now, speaking about the future. Kerr does hold a few reservations in his mind. Since adding Jimmy Butler, he and Curry led the Warriors to the third-best regular-season record in the league since the All-Star break. Additionally, against an opposition of a similar profile such as the Houston Rockets, they were able to gut out a win in seven games.

And although Steve Kerr didn’t want to take away from the Timberwolves’ series victory, he couldn’t keep his thoughts suppressed for long. “I know we had a shot. “I know we could have gone the distance,” he said of the Warriors, had they had a fully healthy roster.

The cards didn’t favor the Warriors this season. However, they still have a short yet hopeful window to make the most out of Stephen Curry and Butler. So, how do they proceed?

How do the Warriors solve their problems?

Over the last two games, Jimmy Butler wasn’t able to take over in ways the Dub Nation might have envisioned. He only attempted 20 shots over those two games. Moreover, his offensive struggles were evident. The Warriors’ system feeds off Stephen Curry’s presence and his ability to attract high defensive attention.

For the most part, that made Butler’s life easier. He, Curry, and Draymond Green are aging and can’t be as ferocious as their peaks. But the dynamic between them allowed the Warriors to elevate to an elite status.

Likewise, for the future, it’s unlikely to see the front office disturbing their present core. One move they might look to make, though, is trading for Jonathan Kuminga. With the Baby Face Assassin missing, he was the Warriors’ focal scoring threat. But for the past few seasons, Steve Kerr doesn’t seem to think of his fit with the Warriors too highly.

A few postseason flashes against the Minnesota Timberwolves have breathed life back into Jonathan Kuminga’s once-stagnant stock. While Draymond Green has publicly vouched for the 22-year-old freak athlete as part of the Warriors’ future, Golden State may look to capitalize on his value while it’s high. With the roster in flux and the clock ticking on their core, the front office could target a key supporting piece in return — ideally, a true center who can anchor the paint and pose a legitimate scoring threat.

With all the shooters around, someone like Kevon Looney did function brilliantly. His rebounding prowess provided the Warriors with additional possessions, which, with their ball movement, often found a clean look. However, their roster looks much different now. The only true shooter is Stephen Curry.

Hence, having a lob threat or an interior presence may help free up some space for Curry. If not, it will certainly help combat physical teams such as the Timberwolves, who have slashers to pressure the rim. In this series, the Wolves outscored the Warriors 222-266 in points inside the paint. Their struggles mainly occurred on the road. Likewise, there seems to be a vital need to address that weakness. Several rim protectors could be available during the offseason for the same.

Amongst them, a wild suggestion has emerged. A distressed Giannis Antetokounmpo is pondering his future outside of Milwaukee. He could be the perfect candidate to not only secure the franchise’s future but also prolong Stephen Curry’s career in the NBA. However, he will cost the Warriors a significant part of their depth and maybe a member of their core.

Those seem to be the plausible directions the Warriors can head into right now. There might be other avenues too. However, it’s vital for the Warriors to construct a roster that relieves the pressure off Stephen Curry rather than one that solely relies on him.