Steve Kerr has already pointed to a rough timeline for Jimmy Butler’s return, saying the forward is likely to be back around February. That leaves the Warriors in a tricky spot: they’ll need enough offense and enough wins over the first four or so months of the season to still matter when Butler can finally give them a boost.
That’s where Gui Santos enters the picture.
Butler’s absence is no small thing. In 2025-26, he finished second on the Warriors in scoring at 20.0 points per game and was also second in assists at 4.9 per contest. He also gave Golden State real value from deep, knocking down 37.6 percent of his 2.2 three-point attempts per game after shooting 30.8 percent the season before.
The problem is obvious: there isn’t a simple one-player answer to replacing that kind of nightly production. So the Warriors need someone else to start filling in the gaps, and Santos has shown he can help do that.
He’s a developing forward who started flashing the same kinds of offensive skills Butler brings to the table. In 2025-26, Santos handled a much bigger role than he ever had before, and the results were the best of his career. He played 20.5 minutes per game, a jump from any previous season in which he had never averaged more than 13.6.
The real progress showed up in the numbers. Santos ended 2024-25 with averages of 10.7 points, 3.8 assists, and 1.6 made threes per 36 minutes while shooting .458/.330/.690. Solid, but not exactly a clear answer to a major roster problem.
Then came the leap. In 2025-26, he raised those marks to 16.1 points, 4.1 assists, and 2.0 threes per 36 minutes on .500/.351/.725 shooting.
His surge really took off after Butler went down in mid-January. Over his final 32 games, Santos averaged 15.2 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.4 steals, and 1.7 three-pointers in 30.4 minutes per game while shooting .510/.348/.740.
If he can keep producing like that in 2026-27 while Butler is out, Golden State has a real chance to patch together enough offense to stay afloat. No one can replace Butler outright, but Santos can help narrow the gap.
That matters because the Warriors already have enough backcourt production from Stephen Curry and Brandin Podziemski to keep them in the fight against most teams. What Butler gave them from the wing, though, was crucial when the opposition had major firepower at the 3 and the 4. Santos may not be able to match a Kawhi Leonard or a Jayson Tatum shot for shot, but he can still give Golden State useful offense.
Defense remains a question. Offensively, though, the Warriors need help wherever they can get it, especially with a 38-year-old point guard carrying so much of the load.
If Santos keeps trending upward as a scorer and playmaker, Golden State could have just enough juice to stay relevant until Butler comes back.
In Other News...
Warriors Suddenly Have An Opening To Pressure The Thunder
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For Golden State, that matters because the Warriors are sitting under the salary cap apron and could be positioned to take advantage if Oklahoma City ever has to make a tougher roster decision down the line. Nothing has happened yet, but the financial squeeze in OKC is the kind of pressure point that can create openings in trades or free agency, and the Warriors will be watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Stephen Curry Injury Suddenly Puts Warriors Opener In Doubt
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For now, Currys availability for the opener is still up in the air, and the team is expected to keep updating his status as the season approaches. It is not the kind of development Golden State wanted this early, though the larger takeaway is that the Warriors appear to be treating it cautiously rather than pushing anything, which is exactly the kind of approach they can ill afford to get wrong with the opener looming. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Opening Night Suddenly Feels Different As Bay Area Star Shows Up
A Bay Area basketball crossover gave the Warriors opening week a little extra buzz, with Gabby Williams coming off a big night for the Valkyries and then showing up at Golden States open practice as the NBA team gets ready for its own season. Williams had just led the Valkyries to a 68-64 win over the Atlanta Dream in Game 1 of the WNBA Finals, extending their playoff run to five straight victories and adding another bright moment to what has quickly become a serious Bay Area basketball stretch.
The timing matters because the Warriors own opening night picture suddenly looks less settled after Stephen Curry tweaked his knee in practice. Any concern around Curry changes the tone around the start of the season, even with the attention around the building and the energy from the Valkyries success hanging over the same market. For Golden State, the next few days now carry a little more uncertainty than they did a week ago. [Read more 🡒]