Golden State Warriors Need to Sacrifice This to Win the 2026 NBA Championship

The Golden State Warriors certainly played like a team that had a chance to go all the way after they acquired Jimmy Butler via trade this past February. With Butler active, they played at a near 63-win pace.

In the end, the Warriors’ playoff run was stopped by forces beyond their control, as Stephen Curry’s hamstring injury and Butler being less than 100 percent after sustaining a hip injury of his own sapped the Dubs of their firepower en route to a five-game series loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the second round of the playoffs.

The Butler trade signaled the Warriors’ intention to give Curry his best chance at winning a ring before he inevitably rides off into the sunset. This sense of urgency is new to the Dubs, as they have preferred to ride their two-timeline strategy as long as they could.

But now that they’ve picked a direction, it’s time for the Warriors to commit. Time is of the essence when it comes to giving Curry a roster that can compete for a title in 2026, and here are a few trade ideas that could perhaps help push the Dubs over the top.

It’s no secret that Steve Kerr does not like Jonathan Kuminga’s fit alongside Curry, Butler, and Draymond Green — the Warriors’ three most important players. Kuminga is not an advanced-level passer nor is he much of a presence on the glass and on defense.

Instead, he prefers to do his damage with the basketball, and in the Warriors’ system that’s predicated on ball and player movement, Kuminga’s play style sometimes sticks out like a sore thumb.

Kuminga’s talent, however, is undeniable. He can get points in bunches, and with Curry out due to injury during the Timberwolves series, the 22-year-old forward suddenly found himself being an indispensable member of the rotation thanks to his ability to create shots and manufacture buckets out of nowhere.

Nonetheless, the Warriors cannot plan ahead for a Curry injury. It’s all about maximizing the Curry-powered system for the Dubs, and even though Kuminga is a fan favorite, it might be time to let go of him in a trade to bring in a more seamless fit in the team’s system.

To that end, Cam Johnson could be a worthwhile get even if he’s not the star player many Dubs fans are dreaming of getting in hypothetical trades.

Johnson is one of the best shooters in the league. This past season, he shot 39 percent from deep on 7.2 attempts per game despite being the player to command the most defensive attention for the Brooklyn Nets. He also flashed a more advanced off-the-bounce game, which should then help him attack aggressive closeouts in the Warriors’ system.

He’s someone opposing defenses cannot leave open at all costs from beyond the arc, and he’s the exact archetype of player the Warriors roster is in dire need of — a versatile 6’8″ forward who can survive on defense all while being someone who commands plenty of defensive attention in his own right.

Unlike Kuminga, Johnson can flourish coming off screens, launching from beyond the arc without conscience and having the requisite skill to back up that kind of audacious shot selection.

Now, the Warriors will have to sweeten the pot for the Nets to consider bringing in Kuminga via sign-and-trade when they can just sign him outright. But it could very well be worth it for the Dubs, especially with Johnson locked into a team-friendly deal until the 2026-27 season.