For the past decade, the NBA world has expected the Golden State Warriors to contend for a title every year. However, after just one NBA Finals appearance in the last six years, should Golden State’s expectations come back down to earth?

With legendary point guard Steph Curry leading the way, the Warriors will always have high expectations, and Golden State seems to be doing what they can to help him live up to those. At last season’s trade deadline, the Warriors acquired six-time All-Star Jimmy Butler, and the new-look star duo clicked immediately.

 

Mar 8, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III (10) talks with guard Stephen Curry (30) during a game against the Detroit Pistons in the second quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images / David Gonzales-Imagn Images 

Curry and Butler became one of the NBA’s best duos after the trade, hoisting a 22-5 regular season record together, while the future Hall of Fame point guard took his game to another level playing alongside his new teammate.

Despite their age, Curry and Butler continue to be two of the best players in the NBA. Curry, 37 years old, and Butler, 36, both landed in the top 20 in ESPN’s NBA player rankings heading into the 2025-26 season.

Curry was the higher-ranked of the two, and as expected, slotted into the top ten. ESPN ranked Curry as the seventh-best player in the NBA heading into next season, one spot lower than he was last year.

Last season, Curry averaged 24.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game, continuing his dominance as he heads into year 17. Of course, Curry is looking to get the Warriors back over the hump, as he remains one of the most valuable players in the NBA.

“The Warriors’ success also remains tied to him. When he was on the floor last season, they outscored opponents by a team-best 299 points. When he was off the floor, they were outscored by a team-high 28 points,” ESPN’s Anthony Slater wrote.

As for Butler, ESPN slotted him as the 18th best player in the NBA heading into the new season.

After an ugly exit from the Miami Heat, Butler found a new and improved home in Golden State and is looking to take advantage of playing alongside a player of Curry’s caliber. After the trade to Golden State, Butler averaged 17.9 points, 5.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 1.7 steals per game, but should feel much more comfortable next season after a full offseason as a Warrior.

“His Warriors stint was short — 30 regular-season games, 11 playoff games — but spectacular in all the impact metrics. Most notably: winning. The Warriors were 25-26 when he arrived. They finished on a 23-8 sprint and beat the second-seeded Rockets in the first round,” Slater wrote.

Last season, the Warriors were unbelievably good when these two stars shared the floor. While there have been plenty of concerns for the Warriors this offseason, having this duo locked in and ready to go for the 2025-26 season should give the team some optimism for good things to come.