Not long after the Warriors acquired Jimmy Butler from the Heat before the deadline last February, forward Draymond Green declared that Golden State was going to win the championship.
Those plans ended up taking a detour in the Western Conference semifinals when superstar Steph Curry went down with a hamstring injury, causing him to miss the majority of the series as the Warriors fell to the Timberwolves. As Golden State prepares for the upcoming 2025–26 season though, Green feels even better about the team's chances to win a title this year.
"Unfortunately, Batman went down with a hamstring injury and it kind of changed the outlook on things a little bit," Green told ESPN's Malika Andrews. "Nonetheless, we think we're even in a better position now to win a championship than we were last year. Last year. Jimmy didn't even know any defensive terminologies. We were just making it work. ... I think we have actually an opportunity to build this thing the right way and work toward a championship the way you have to do it."
"When I talk about [winning four rings], I am at a loss for words, because how did we end up in that position?...But we know what it takes to get it done." @Money23Green tells @malika_andrews ring No. 5 is not out of reach for this Warriors team 🏆 pic.twitter.com/5sK2ysoHE1
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) October 8, 2025
"That's all we talk about," Green said of pursuing a fifth championship. "Getting that fifth ring, what that would be like, what we need to do to get it done, that's the only focus is to do that. ... We know what it takes to get it done. If we stay healthy, I don't see any team out there that we can't beat."
The Warriors became a whole new team after trading for Butler last season, going 23–8 in the regular season from that point on. Entering this year, their chemistry with Butler should only improve and help them begin the season as a real contender.
With likely only a few years remaining in Green, Butler and Curry's careers, or at least their time in Golden State, the Warriors have a limited time to win their fifth ring under Steve Kerr, and they know it.
The pursuit for that fifth championship begins in less than two weeks on Oct. 21, when the Warriors take on the Lakers to kick off the 2025–26 regular season.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Draymond Green Explains Why Warriors Have Better Shot at Winning Title This Year.
