Jeremy T. Ringfield's Blog, page 130

49ers reportedly seek to sell 6 percent stake in record transaction

If a proposed 6% sale of the 49ers goes through, the team would set a record for the highest valuation of any global sports team in a transaction.

The sale would be made at a franchise valuation above $8.5 billion, according to Sportico, which listed the team’s value at $6.86 billion in its most recent analysis. The outlet estimated the Dallas Cowboys’ value to be more than $10 billion, the highest in its rankings.

The York family, which owns more than 90% of the team, is expected to sell small portions of the team to the families of three Bay Area billionaires: Vinod Khosla, Byron Griffith and Will Deeter. Kholsa is the co-founder of Sun Microsystems, while Griffith and Deeter are in the finance world.

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The league’s owners would have to approve the sale. They meet next week in Minneapolis.

Earlier this year, the owners reportedly approved an 8 percent sale of the Philadelphia Eagles at a valuation of $8.3 billion.

A 49ers spokesperson declined to comment for this story.

Trump administration officials say Secret Service is investigating Comey’s ’86 47′ social media post

WASHINGTON (AP) — Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Thursday that federal law enforcement is investigating a social media post made by former FBI Director James Comey that she and other Republicans claim is a call for violence against President Donald Trump.

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In an Instagram post earlier in the day, Comey wrote “cool shell formation on my beach walk” under a picture of seashells that appeared to form the shapes for “86 47.”

Numerous Trump administration officials, including Noem, claimed that Comey was advocating for the assassination of Trump, the 47th president. “DHS and Secret Service is investigating this threat and will respond appropriately,” Noem wrote.

The post has since been deleted. Comey subsequently wrote, “I posted earlier a picture of some shells I saw today on a beach walk, which I assumed were a political message. I didn’t realize some folks associate those numbers with violence.

“It never occurred to me,” Comey added, “but I oppose violence of any kind so I took the post down.”

Merriam-Webster, the dictionary used by The Associated Press, says 86 is slang meaning “to throw out,” “to get rid of” or “to refuse service to.” It notes: “Among the most recent senses adopted is a logical extension of the previous ones, with the meaning of ‘to kill.’ We do not enter this sense, due to its relative recency and sparseness of use.”

Comey’s original post sparked outrage among conservatives on social media, with Donald Trump Jr. accusing Comey of calling for his father’s killing.

Current FBI Director Kash Patel said he was aware of the post and was conferring with the Secret Service and its director.

James Blair, White House deputy chief of staff for legislative, political and public affairs, noted that the post came at a delicate time given that Trump is traveling in the Middle East.

“This is a Clarion Call from Jim Comey to terrorists & hostile regimes to kill the President of the United States as he travels in the Middle East,” Blair wrote on X.

Comey, who was FBI director from 2013 to 2017, was fired by Trump during the president’s first term amid the bureau’s probe into allegations of ties between Russian officials and Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. Comey wrote about his career in the best-selling memoir “A Higher Loyalty.”

He is now a crime fiction writer and is promoting his latest book, “FDR Drive,” which is being released on Tuesday.

Jonathan Kuminga enters offseason with his Warriors future up in the air

SAN FRANCISCO — Like the rest of his Warriors teammates, Jonathan Kuminga sat down with general manager Mike Dunleavy and coach Steve Kerr on Thursday in the wake of their elimination from the NBA playoffs and talked about where he fit on their roster heading into the summer.

These exit interviews are typically routine. But Kuminga’s situation is hardly typical.

“I don’t know,” the 22-year-old former lottery pick repeated over and over when it was time for him to head downstairs and meet with the media for the public portion of the day. “I don’t know what the future is going to be.”

The Warriors’ 121-110 loss to the Timberwolves on Wednesday put an end to Kuminga’s fourth professional season since Golden State drafted him seventh overall, but neither he nor the Warriors could say with certainty which uniform he would be wearing come September.

Kuminga will be a restricted free agent, meaning he can seek out a new team on the open market. The Warriors, however, are reportedly expected to extend him a $7.9 million qualifying offer and will have the ability to match any contract he is offered by another team.

“He’s been dealt a very tough hand, to be honest,” Steph Curry said. “… I hope the future is bright for him, whether it’s here, whether it’s whereever.”

“His future is bright, whether it’s here or whether it’s somewhere else,” echoed Draymond Green. “His future is bright. That type of talent usually figures it out.”

All it takes to see why chairman Joe Lacob has been so enamored with the potential of the high-flying wing is to catch a glimpse of Kuminga’s past four games. With Curry sidelined, he was the Warriors’ most reliable scorer, averaging 24.3 points per game on 55.4%/38.9%/72.0% shooting splits.

But that wasn’t enough to beat the Timberwolves — Golden State lost all four games — and Kuminga has yet to prove he can play as effectively alongside Curry, who will turn 38 next year. He showed glimpses, scoring in double figures in 17 straight games in December, before an ankle injury forced him out until March. By the time he was healed, Kuminga had lost his rotation spot to the Warriors’ midseason acquisition, Jimmy Butler III.

“There was some ups and downs. That’s how life goes. But I had fun. I had a great time. I enjoy playing here,” Kuminga said. “It was tough. Playing great, and then things like that happen. I didn’t let (it get me) down. I just went to rehab every other day, tried to get better, and I came back to a completely different team.”

Kuminga at times has had a contentious relationship with Kerr, who has tended to prioritize Golden State’s current championship window over laying the groundwork for the next one. He started only 10 of the 47 games he appeared in, and in December said other players would “need a therapist” if they had received the same inconsistent playing time.

On Thursday, he described his relationship with Kerr as “very good,” though the coach reiterated the need for Kuminga to crash the glass. He still only grabbed 14 rebounds despite playing 124 minutes in the four games without Curry.

Kuminga said he believed he has “grown a lot” in his four years with Golden State, and the numbers bare that out. He was the Warriors’ second-leading scorer at 15.3 points per game before Butler arrived and was getting to the free-throw line at the highest clip of his career.

The biggest sign of growth in Green’s eyes, however, was on display on the defensive side of the ball during a possession against Minnesota. Kuminga was assigned to defend Anthony Edwards, and rather than rolling with the screener attempting to make him switch off him, he assessed the situation and doubled back to put another body on the Timberwolves’ dynamic scorer.

“I pulled him aside and I said, ‘Now you playing, because you’re making reads defensively,’” Green said. “That’s a play he wouldn’t have made three months ago.”

Whether or not his development continues in gold and black, nobody knows. Teams may begin negotiating with free agents at 3 p.m. on June 30 and will be eligible to sign them at midnight one week later. Kuminga, who made $7.6 million this season, has been said to desire a contract comparable to other lottery picks from the 2020 draft, which would pay him $30 million or more annually.

“I don’t know anything about what the future is holding for me,” Kuminga said, again. “But just looking forward to it.”

Pending free agents

Two other mainstays are set to hit free agency this summer: Kevon Looney and Gary Payton II.

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Looney, 29, was drafted by Golden State 30th overall in 2015 and is one of the longest-tenured players on any team. Payton, 32, played a part in their 2022 championship, signed a free-agent contract in Portland and was traded back to the Warriors only a few months later.

“I think I always want to be here. This is where I was drafted at. Been here a long time. I hope the feeling is mutual,” said Looney, who added that Dunleavy and Kerr expressed a desire to bring back the 6-foot-9 big man. “But it’s the NBA; things always change, especially when you don’t win it all. I’m just ready for whatever.”

Payton said it was an “interesting” season — “interesting but fun” — and also hoped to run it back with Golden State.

“I love this organization. I love playing for Steve. Love the guys they bring in to try to help win,” Payton said. “They know how I feel. We’ll take it one day at a time.”

Why was Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok preoccupied with South Africa’s racial politics?

By MATT O’BRIEN

Much like its creator, Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence chatbot Grok was preoccupied with South African racial politics on social media this week, posting unsolicited claims about the persecution and “genocide” of white people.

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The chatbot, made by Musk’s company xAI, kept posting publicly about “white genocide” in response to users of Musk’s social media platform X who asked it a variety of questions, most having nothing to do with South Africa.

One exchange was about streaming service Max reviving the HBO name. Others were about video games or baseball but quickly veered into unrelated commentary on alleged calls to violence against South Africa’s white farmers. Musk, who was born in South Africa, frequently opines on the same topics from his own X account.

Computer scientist Jen Golbeck was curious about Grok’s unusual behavior so she tried it herself, sharing a photo she had taken at the Westminster Kennel Club dog show and asking, “is this true?”

“The claim of white genocide is highly controversial,” began Grok’s response to Golbeck. “Some argue white farmers face targeted violence, pointing to farm attacks and rhetoric like the ‘Kill the Boer’ song, which they see as incitement.”

The episode was the latest window into the complicated mix of automation and human engineering that leads generative AI chatbots trained on huge troves of data to say what they say.

“It doesn’t even really matter what you were saying to Grok,” said Golbeck, a professor at the University of Maryland, in an interview Thursday. “It would still give that white genocide answer. So it seemed pretty clear that someone had hard-coded it to give that response or variations on that response, and made a mistake so it was coming up a lot more often than it was supposed to.”

Musk and his companies haven’t provided an explanation for Grok’s responses, which were deleted and appeared to have stopped proliferating by Thursday. Neither xAI nor X returned emailed requests for comment Thursday.

Musk has spent years criticizing the “woke AI” outputs he says come out of rival chatbots, like Google’s Gemini or OpenAI’s ChatGPT, and has pitched Grok as their “maximally truth-seeking” alternative.

Musk has also criticized his rivals’ lack of transparency about their AI systems, but on Thursday the absence of any explanation forced those outside the company to make their best guesses.

“Grok randomly blurting out opinions about white genocide in South Africa smells to me like the sort of buggy behavior you get from a recently applied patch. I sure hope it isn’t. It would be really bad if widely used AIs got editorialized on the fly by those who controlled them,” prominent technology investor Paul Graham wrote on X.

Graham’s post brought what appeared to be a sarcastic response from Musk’s rival, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.

“There are many ways this could have happened. I’m sure xAI will provide a full and transparent explanation soon,” wrote Altman, who has been sued by Musk in a dispute rooted in the founding of OpenAI.

Some asked Grok itself to explain, but like other chatbots, it is prone to falsehoods known as hallucinations, making it hard to determine if it was making things up.

Musk, an adviser to President Donald Trump, has regularly accused South Africa’s Black-led government of being anti-white and has repeated a claim that some of the country’s political figures are “actively promoting white genocide.”

Musk’s commentary — and Grok’s — escalated this week after the Trump administration brought a small number of white South Africans to the United States as refugees Monday, the start of a larger relocation effort for members of the minority Afrikaner group as Trump suspends refugee programs and halts arrivals from other parts of the world. Trump says the Afrikaners are facing a “genocide” in their homeland, an allegation strongly denied by the South African government.

In many of its responses, Grok brought up the lyrics of an old anti-apartheid song that was a call for Black people to stand up against oppression and has now been decried by Musk and others as promoting the killing of whites. The song’s central lyrics are “kill the Boer” — a word that refers to a white farmer.

Golbeck believes the answers were “hard-coded” because, while chatbot outputs are typically very random, Grok’s responses consistently brought up nearly identical points. That’s concerning, she said, in a world where people increasingly go to Grok and competing AI chatbots for answers to their questions.

“We’re in a space where it’s awfully easy for the people who are in charge of these algorithms to manipulate the version of truth that they’re giving,” she said. “And that’s really problematic when people — I think incorrectly — believe that these algorithms can be sources of adjudication about what’s true and what isn’t.”

Space Force, governors at odds over plans to pull talent from National Guard units

By TARA COPP

WASHINGTON (AP) — The head of the U.S. Space Force is moving ahead with plans to pull talent from Air National Guard units to help build up the still new military service — but several governors remain opposed and argue it tramples on their rights to retain control over their state units.

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Overall, the plan would affect only 578 service members across six states and the Air National Guard headquarters and augment the Space Force without creating a separate Space Force National Guard — something the service has said would not be efficient because it would be so small.

“We are actively pursuing where do we want our part-time workforce? What type of work do they do?” the head of Space Force, Gen. Chance Saltzman, said Thursday at a POLITICO conference.

The Space Force was established by President Donald Trump in late 2019, during his first term. In the years since, the Air Force has transferred its space missions into the now five-year-old military branch — except for the 578 positions still contained in the Air National Guard, which is part of the Air Force. In the 2025 defense bill, Congress mandated that those positions move over to the Space Force as well.

The transferred service members would be a part-time force like they are now, just serving under the Space Force instead of their state units.

But space missions are some of the most lucrative across the military and private sector and the states that lose space mission service member billets are potentially losing highly valuable part-time workforce members if they have to move away to transfer in to the Space Force.

Last month, the National Governors Association said the transfers violate their right to retain control over their state units.

“We urge that any transfers cease immediately and that there be direct and open engagement with governors,” the Association said in April. The group was not immediately available to comment on Space Force’s plan.

“There’s a lot of concern in the National Guard about these individuals who are highly skilled that want to be in the Guard being transferred out,” Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin said at an Air Force manpower hearing this week.

The contention between the states and the Space Force has meant the service hasn’t so far been able to approach individual members about transferring in.

According to the legislation, each National Guard will get the option to either stay with their units — and get re-trained in another specialty — or join the Space Force. Even if they do transfer into the Space Force, their positions would remain located in those same states for at least the next 10 years, according to the 2025 legislation.

The affected personnel include 33 from Alaska, 126 from California, 119 from Colorado, 75 from Florida, 130 from Hawaii, 69 from Ohio and 26 from Air National Guard headquarters.

Military commanders will be told to send transgender troops to medical checks to oust them

By LOLITA C. BALDOR

WASHINGTON (AP) — Military commanders will be told to identify troops in their units who are transgender or have gender dysphoria, then send them to get medical checks in order to force them out of the service, officials said Thursday.

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A senior defense official laid out what could be a complicated and lengthy new process aimed at fulfilling President Donald Trump’s directive to remove transgender service members from the U.S. military.

The new order to commanders relies on routine annual health checks that service members are required to undergo. Another defense official said the Defense Department has scrapped — for now — plans to go through troops’ health records to identify those with gender dysphoria.

Instead, transgender troops who do not voluntarily come forward could be outed by commanders or others aware of their medical status. Gender dysphoria occurs when a person’s biological sex does not match up with their gender identity.

The defense officials spoke on condition of anonymity to provide details of the new policy. The process raises comparisons to the early “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy, which at times had commanders or other troops outing gay members of the military who — at the time — were not allowed to serve openly.

Active-duty troops will have until June 6 to voluntarily identify themselves to the Defense Department, and troops in the National Guard and Reserve have until July 7.

The department is offering a financial incentive to those who volunteer to leave. They will receive roughly double the amount of separation pay than those who don’t come forward.

Initially, officials said the Defense Department would begin going through medical records to identify anyone who did not come forward voluntarily. That detail was not included in the new guidance released Thursday.

While the department believes it has the authority to review medical records, it would rather go through a more routine health assessment process, the defense official said. Traditionally, all service members go through a health assessment once a year to determine if they are still medically able to serve.

A new question about gender dysphoria is being added to that assessment. Active-duty troops who do not voluntarily come forward would have to acknowledge their gender dysphoria during that medical check, which could be scheduled months from now.

A unit commander could expedite the health assessment.

Under the new policy, “commanders who are aware of service members in their units with gender dysphoria, a history of gender dysphoria, or symptoms consistent with gender dysphoria will direct individualized medical record reviews of such service members to confirm compliance with medical standards.”

The defense official said it is the duty of the service member and the commander to comply with the new process. The department is confident and comfortable with commanders implementing the policy, and it does not believe they would use the process to take retribution against a service member, the senior defense official said.

It comes after the Supreme Court recently ruled that the Trump administration could enforce the ban on transgender people in the military while other legal challenges proceed. The court’s three liberal justices said they would have kept the policy on hold.

Officials have said that as of Dec. 9, 2024, there were 4,240 troops diagnosed with gender dysphoria in the active duty, National Guard and Reserve. But they acknowledge the number may be higher.

There are about 2.1 million total troops serving.

In a statement, Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said earlier this month that about 1,000 troops already have identified themselves and “will begin the voluntary separation process” from the military. That can often take weeks.

Trump tried to ban transgender troops during his first term, while allowing those currently serving to stay on. Then-President Joe Biden overturned the ban.

The new policy does not grandfather in those currently serving and only allows for limited waivers or exceptions.

Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth allege that troops with gender dysphoria don’t meet military standards. Hegseth has tied his opposition to a campaign to rid the department of “wokeness.”

“No More Trans @ DoD,” Hegseth wrote in a post on X. In a recent speech to a special operations conference, he said: “No more dudes in dresses. We’re done with that s—.”

The FBI is disbanding one of its Washington-based public corruption squads, AP sources say

By ERIC TUCKER

WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI is disbanding a Washington-based squad that investigates allegations of fraud and public corruption against members of Congress and other federal officials, people familiar with the matter said Thursday.

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The move is part of a broader reorganization of the FBI’s Washington field office, said one FBI official familiar with the plans, adding that the bureau would continue to pursue investigations into alleged corruption by public officials.

It was not immediately clear where the agents on the squad might be reassigned, though the office does have other squads focused on public corruption in the District of Columbia and Virginia.

The people who confirmed the FBI’s decision insisted on anonymity to discuss personnel changes that had not been previously announced.

The action comes as the Trump administration has overhauled its approach to enforcement of public corruption, including by moving to dramatically slash the size of a prestigious section of Justice Department prosecutors responsible for pursuing cases of fraud and corruption against elected officials.

The administration also has announced a pause in criminal enforcement of a law that prohibits U.S. companies from paying bribes to foreign officials for business. In addition, Justice Department leaders in February dismissed a public corruption case against New York Mayor Eric Adams so he could support the administration’s efforts to crack down on illegal immigration.

The dissolving of the squad is consistent with an ongoing shuffling of FBI priorities as the bureau under Director Kash Patel pivots to focus more on illegal immigration, drug trafficking and violent crime, core priorities of the Trump administration.

The Washington field office is one of the largest in the country, responsible for investigating national security threats, public corruption and other crimes in the nation’s capital. The federal public corruption squad has handled significant investigations over the years, including into efforts by Trump and allies to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.

The development was first reported by NBC News.

Horoscopes May 15, 2025: Alexandra Breckenridge, discord will stand between you and true happiness

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Alexandra Breckenridge, 43; Jamie-Lynn Sigler, 44; David Krumholtz, 47; Chazz Palminteri, 73.

Happy Birthday: Recognize what may impede you and zigzag your way to the place that feels most comfortable. It’s not about who gets there first; it’s about the journey and how you can get the most out of it this year. Discord will stand between you and true happiness. Surround yourself with people who offer positive input, and you’ll find it easier to achieve your goals. Don’t settle for less when you can have more. Your numbers are 8, 12, 24, 27, 30, 36, 47.

ARIES (March 21-April 19): Explore, enjoy the scenery and take a moment to find your happy place. Listen more than you contribute and digest what you discover, and a window of opportunity will open. Peace and tranquility will help you decipher what’s best for you. Life’s a journey, and it’s up to you to pick and choose your destiny. 5 stars

TAURUS (April 20-May 20): Look at every angle and see endless possibilities. Let your intelligence and experience guide you instead of letting someone bait you into a no-win situation. Refuse to let ego or stubbornness stand between you and your dreams. Bend a little and strike when the iron’s hot. Embrace change with a positive attitude. 3 stars

GEMINI (May 21-June 20): A thorough investigation of anything you want to pursue is necessary. Educate yourself, and you’ll discover ways to cut costs. Knowledge gives you the power to negotiate. Focus on home, self-improvement and finding the best people to help you achieve your goals. A change of heart will point you in a new direction. 3 stars

CANCER (June 21-July 22): Discipline and hard work will pay off. Get your facts straight before you debate with someone eager to make you look bad. Refrain from letting your body language divulge your true feelings. Keep your emotions out of conversations if you want to make progress. Look before you leap. 3 stars

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22): Mixing business with pleasure can backfire if you are indulgent or vocal regarding your beliefs. Admirable actions will impact those you encounter more than words. Doing your best is the most effective way to get what you want. Put on a show and present what you offer, and something good will transpire. 5 stars

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22): Keep an open mind, but refuse to let anyone talk you into something you cannot afford or want. Change begins with you, not someone pestering you until you agree. Problems at home will be costly if you aren’t willing to fight for what’s right and what’s yours. Stand firm, but be kind. 2 stars

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22): An opportunity is apparent. Listen to what others offer and weigh in on how you can contribute. A partnership looks inviting, but check the facts and figures before you agree to something that may be fictitious. A financial gain is possible if you are willing to do the work yourself. 4 stars

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21): Hold your head high and refuse to let the little things get to you. Pay more attention to engaging in in-person events or activities that offer beneficial results. There is a difference between spinning your wheels and getting somewhere. Choose accomplishment, not a “would’ve, could’ve, should’ve” attitude. 4 stars

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21): Something won’t add up. Personal issues will get blown out of proportion if emotions meet with common sense. Stick to the facts to avoid being blamed for embellishing a situation. Look inward, question your motives and focus on personal improvement instead of trying to change others. Physical activity will ease stress. 3 stars

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Take the edge off and chill while you organize your thoughts and consider the best way to handle domestic situations that are weighing on your mind. You will fall short of your expectations if you engage in talks prematurely. Before launching your response, figure out what’s essential to you. 3 stars

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18): You can observe and learn from what’s happening around you, but hold tight lest you hitch a ride on a runaway train. Instead, nurture what’s important to you, like relationships, money matters, confidence, health and feeling ready to conquer the world. Put thought and consideration into how you earn and handle your money. 4 stars

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20): Choose simplicity and moderation instead of indulgent behavior and overreacting. Avoid being led astray or coerced into something costly or unsafe. Show respect, be polite, learn to say no graciously and walk away. A positive attitude, honesty, integrity and living within your means are the road to a better future. 2 stars

Birthday Baby: You are entertaining, playful and competitive. You are tenacious and opportunistic.

1 star: Avoid conflicts; work behind the scenes.
2 stars: You can accomplish, but don’t rely on others.
3 stars: Focus and you’ll reach your goals.
4 stars: Aim high; start new projects.
5 stars: Nothing can stop you; go for gold.

Visit Eugenialast.com, or join Eugenia on Twitter/Facebook/LinkedIn.

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How the Minnesota Timberwolves shut down ‘Playoff Jimmy’

Jimmy Butler III let out a single sniffle as he sat down at the podium following the Game 5 loss that ended the Warriors’ season.

“We’re not going to use anything an excuse,” Butler said.

The snot in his nostrils, however, served only as further evidence to a case that had been building by his play on the court for much of this Western Conference semifinal series against the Minnesota Timberwolves. There was something wrong with “Playoff Jimmy.”

Golden State Warriors forward Jimmy Butler III (10) drives the ball against Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) during the first half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Wednesday, May 14, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Still hampered by the hard fall he took in Round 1, fighting off an illness that cropped up before Game 4, the 35-year-old Butler wasn’t able to carry the Warriors when they needed him most. With Steph Curry watching from the sidelines, Minnesota contained him to 17 points on 4-of-11 shooting from the field and 9-of-11 from the foul line in the Warriors’ 121-110 defeat Wednesday night.

In his first postseason with Golden State, Butler averaged 19.2 points, 6.6 rebounds and 5.2 assists in 36 minutes over 11 games, but was forced to miss a game in their first-round series against Houston after suffering a pelvic and deep gluteal muscle contusion in Game 2.

While Butler downplayed the impact of the injury, Warriors coach Steve Kerr said, “He was definitely compromised all series. I think the injury in Houston definitely impacted him. He’s been playing through pain.”

In four games since Curry strained his left hamstring, Butler scored more than 20 points only once — when he dropped 33 in Game 3, which was also the closest the Warriors came to pulling out a win at less than full strength. Butler attempted 26 shots in that game — plus another nine from the free-throw line — but failed to get off as many tries between Games 4 and 5, going a combined 9-of-20 for 34 points to go with his 6-of-13 effort for 17 points without Curry in their Game 2 loss.

“Once Steph went out, it changed everything for our whole team,” Kerr said. “But especially for Jimmy.”

“Their defense just started loading up on him,” said Draymond Green, who finished 4-of-11 for 10 points — one of three Warriors to attempt as many shots as Butler, along with Brandin Podziemski (11-of-19) and Jonathan Kuminga (11-of-23).

After finishing a game-worst minus-30 in Game 4, Butler was a team-worst minus-17 in 42 minutes Wednesday.

“Obviously it’s very different whenever you don’t have Steph on the floor,” Butler said. “I feel like everyone has to take on more and everybody has to play a little bit of a different role, but that’s just the game. Injuries happen. But it is a lot different with Steph not out there.”

Blitzing Butler looks different than when it happens to Curry. He likes to drive and decide from there to take it to the rim himself or find the open man on the perimeter. The Timberwolves had so much size and athleticism that they were able to match up with Butler one-on-one and take away his potential outlets.

Golden State Warriors’ Jimmy Butler III (10) looks to pass the ball against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the third quarter of Game 3 of the Western Conference Second Round NBA Playoffs at Chase Center in San Francisco, Calif., on Saturday, May 10, 2025. (Jose Carlos Fajardo/Bay Area News Group)

“Mostly we tried to take away his playmaking,” Timberwolves coach Chris Finch said. “Fortunately we have a number of guys who were able to body him. Jaden (McDaniels) has length. Julius (Randle) has physicality. Ant(hony Edwards) has physicality. Even Rudy did a really good job when he got switched on him. Over time, that can take its toll on somebody when you have to face that many defenders.”

It didn’t help that, without Curry, the Warriors didn’t have many shooters for Butler to find. They finished 11-of-39 (28.2%) from 3 in Game 5 and shot 34% from distance over the course of the series while going long stretches without a single bucket from downtown.

“I think the biggest thing in this series was without the spacing that Steph gives us, Minnesota did a great job of just playing us one-on-one,” Kerr said. “(Butler’s) whole game is to iso, get the ball into the paint and then move it to generate shots. They just made the decision not to leave our perimeter guys, even our non-shooters on the perimeter. … They made things difficult on Jimmy.”

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Now, it’s back to the drawing board for Kerr and the Warriors. Curry, Butler and Green are all under contract through 2027. Although Curry will turn 38 and Butler and Green will turn 36, they believe they can still add another championship to the Warriors’ dynasty.

They went 23-7 together down the stretch and took down the conference’s No. 2 seed before health caught up to them.

“I think we’ll be right back at it. It sucks to end this way, but we think we’ve got the pieces to make another run at it and do it again,” Green said. “That’s gonna be our mindset going into this summer.”

Butler was asked when the planning begins.

“That’s a good question,” he said. “Maybe on the plane (home), I don’t know. For sure sometime this summer.”

Without Steph Curry, Warriors’ season ends as Timberwolves hold off rally in Game 5

MINNEAPOLIS – With the season on the brink of collapse against the host Timberwolves, Warriors coach Steve Kerr emptied the playbook and bench on Wednesday night at Target Center.

He used 11 different players in the first 13 minutes of Game 5 of their Western Conference semifinal, mixing and matching combinations in search of success against a Timberwolves squad that featured two stars in their prime.

But the most important piece of the Golden State puzzle remained on the bench in street clothes with a left hamstring injury for the fourth straight game.

Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) looks to shoot against Golden State Warriors’ Pat Spencer, right, and Buddy Hield, left, during the second half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Wednesday, May 14, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

Without Steph Curry, the Warriors did not have the firepower to force a Game 6 and extend their season, dropping their fourth game in a row in a 121-110 setback. According to Sportradar, the Warriors hadn’t lost four straight games in a single postseason since 1972.

“The playoffs are really about health and just guys stepping up and making big shots and big plays in key games,” Kerr said when initially asked about how much the Warriors missed Curry. “That’s what decides every series. We’ve been on both ends of that (injuries) and it’s just part of it, and there’s no sense in dwelling on it.

“I don’t want to take away from anything from what Minnesota just accomplished so no sense in even talking about Steph.”.

But later, Kerr said, “I know we had a shot. I know we could’ve gone the distance.”

After making five consecutive Finals appearances from 2015 to 2019, Golden State has now failed to advance past the second round for the third straight year since winning the Finals in 2022.

“It sucks,” Draymond Green said of playing without Curry. But they beat us. You know, injuries are a part of it. We’ve won championships when guys got hurt.

“You want to be as good of a team as you can be, but we always say, you need a little luck, just because health is a huge part of it. So, you know, we definitely missed Steph, that obviously goes without saying, but I’m not going to come up here and harp on Steph not being there and make it like their their win is less of what it is. They’re moving on. Congratulations and those guys, they beat us regardless.”

Minnesota will play in its second consecutive Western Conference Finals, against either the Denver Nuggets or Oklahoma City Thunder.

Brandin Podziemski led the Warriors with 28 points, and Jonathan Kuminga threw in 26 in what could be the restricted free agent’s last game in a Warriors uniform. Jimmy Butler had had 17 points in 42 minutes. Julius Randle scored 29 for the Wolves, and Anthony Edwards scored 22 points with 12 assists and seven rebounds.

The Warriors trailed by as many as 25 points in the second half, but the Golden State reserves made things interesting down the stretch.

Led by Gui Santos and Moses Moody, the Warriors cut the deficit to nine with seven minutes left. Edwards sat on the bench for much of the Warriors’ run.

But Golden State would get no closer, with the Wolves keeping their opponents at bay and closing out the series in five games.

Draymond Green had 10 points, six rebounds and six assists and moved up a couple of NBA all-time playoff lists along the way. He passed Walt Frazier and Gus Williams into 71st place in career playoff points and moved past Ben Wallace for 22nd in rebounds.

Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (23) and Golden State Warriors guard Buddy Hield (7) during the first half of Game 5 of an NBA basketball second-round playoff series, Wednesday, May 14, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)

The Warriors stayed within reasonable striking distance of Minnesota until late in the second quarter. After Green scored five points to cut the deficit to just six with 2:20 left in the half, the Wolves closed the quarter on a 9-0 run fueled by a Randle dunk and and-1 layup. Minnesota led 62-47 at the half.

It was 93-72 with just 12 minutes left to play. The in-house DJ even did some light trolling, blasting Bay Area anthem “Blow the Whistle” multiple times.

The Warriors got back into the game, but without Curry, did not receive the final push they needed to complete the comeback.

The game did not start well for the visitors.

The Warriors allowed the Wolves to shoot 60% from the field in the first quarter and lead 30-23, with Rudy Gobert scoring eight, six of those points coming on lob dunks out of the pick and roll.

Kerr started the second quarter with Pat Spencer and Quinten Post being complemented by Buddy Hield, trying to jumpstart the offense at the expense of getting stops.

The Warriors put up points but they also gave them up in bunches as Mike Conley turned back the clock and scored eight points in the frame.