54.13 million in one year! The NBA is super huge, high salary and low energy, and it has become the biggest burden on the team. In fact, you should leave the most

Editor|Old Kankanqiu

NBA offseason is about to end, and many teams in the league have completed reinforcement and upgraded, and are ready to prepare for the new season. For example, the Rockets introduced Durant. Although the "God of Death" is nearly 37 years old, it is still trustworthy at critical moments. This is also Houston's most lacking weak ring. The probability of winning the championship soared after strengthening. Similarly, the Lakers have also introduced strong players such as Ayton and Smart. Although James is 40 years old, his condition is not inferior to Durant at all. Instead, his efficiency is still improving. He forms the "Big Three Los Angeles" with Doncic and Reeves, and his strength cannot be underestimated. The Clippers, which are also the two Los Angeles champions, have also strengthened the puzzle of Bill, Paul, Daluo and others in the championship competition. Although they have been criticized for their age issues (the team's average age of 33.2 set the highest NBA record), their experience and lineup thickness are definitely at the T0 level in the league.

Obviously, there are still many veterans in the league who can still perform at the dominant level. However, some veterans cannot recognize the reality. Despite their performance decline, they still occupy the team's maximum salary, making the team's strengthening plan increasingly difficult. In February 2025, the Warriors management received 35-year-old Jimmy Butler from the Heat trade, and then personally gave him a two-year, $121 million super maximum salary contract, shocking the entire league. You know, at this time Butler had had a conflict with the Heat management for nearly a month, and was exposed to various unprofessional problems such as being late and slack in playing basketball, which put a big question mark on the outside world about this deal?

However, after Butler joined, the Warriors' form did recover, with a record of 23 wins and 8 losses. During the same period, the offensive efficiency soared from 19th in the league to 8th, and finally entered the playoffs as seventh in the West. However, a careful analysis of Butler's data last season may reveal some hidden problems: During the regular season, in 31 games Butler played for the Warriors, he averaged only 17.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 5.4 assists per game, and shot 50.4% from the field, which set a new low in Butler's career.

In the playoffs, Butler's data increased to 19.2 points, 6.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists, but his shooting percentage dropped to 44.7%. The most important thing is that when Curry was injured and unable to play, he needed to stand up, but Butler was invisible at a critical moment. In the second round of G4 game against the Timberwolves, he made 5 of 9 shots and scored only 14 points. He faced the game of G5, which was eliminated. He played a total of 42 minutes, made 11 shots, 0 of 3 three-pointers, and 9 of 11 free throws. He only scored 17 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists and 3 steals, with a plus-minus value of -17, the lowest in the game. It is obvious that the 35-year-old Butler's condition has declined significantly, which is incomparable to his peak period.

The most difficult thing is that in the new season, Butler still holds a super maximum salary of US$54.13 million in one year, plus 38-year-old Curry's 59.61 million in and 36-year-old Dream Green's 25.89 million in the salary of these three senior core members has exceeded US$140 million, which directly locked the team's salary space, which indirectly led to the deadlock between the management and Kumingga's contract renewal negotiations, triggering an internal crisis in the team.

Obviously, the Warriors' salary space has been almost locked down, and the room for operation is very limited. Currently, the fourth highest salary in the team is Moody's 11.57 million, which is really ironic. This also indirectly reflects the weak problem of the team's lineup. At the beginning of last season, the Warriors, led by Curry, performed a strong performance of 12 wins and 3 losses, and once reached the top in the Western Conference. But as the season deepened, Curry was consumed and his condition declined severely. No second person in the team could stand up, and the team's condition also fell sharply. He only won 3 games in the next 14 games, and his ranking fell directly from the top ten in the Western Conference.

Indeed, Butler's joining can relieve Curry's pressure, but the 35-year-old age and his decline are difficult to match the maximum salary of $54.13 million. If there is any injury problem (the Heat is often missing in the regular season during the Heat), it will become the biggest burden on the entire team, and the Warriors have basically bid farewell to the hope of winning the championship. Therefore, many people are discussing Kumingga's stay or leave this offseason, but the biggest hidden danger to the team is Butler with a maximum salary. From the future of the team, Butler should be the one who should leave the team the most.

Last year's playoffs, facing the Timberwolves in the second round, Curry stepped back from injury. Butler, as the main scoring point, did not show enough scoring ability. The Warriors lost four games in a row and were eliminated 1-4 in total. However, the management provided a two-year, $121 million maximum salary contract for such Butler. In NBA history, a team like the Warriors that gave such a huge contract to a 35-year-old veteran will be locked in salary space, lose their youthful talent, and have no choice but to rebuild.

The Warriors are heading towards this old path!