The Golden State Warriors are long removed from their dynasty run, but one Stephen Curry still holds down the fort.

By Ryan Rudnansky

The Golden State Warriors no longer boast the nucleus that brought them several championships, but they still have Stephen Curry and Draymond Green, and they’re hoping some young promising players will make them competitive during the 2026-27 NBA campaign.

The Warriors, who last won the Larry O’Brien NBA Championship Trophy in 2022, missed out on the playoffs last season, falling to the Phoenix Suns in the play-in game after going 37-45 during the regular season.

It’s a far cry to expect them to be a legitimate contender this season, but they do have some up-and-coming young pieces who could make things interesting, as well as the looming Jimmy Butler, who the Warriors hope will return with a vengeance later in the season.

Here’s a breakdown of the Warriors’ roster as they get set to kick off the 2026-27 campaign against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night.

PROJECTED REGULAR SEASON STARTING LINEUP

Stephen Curry, PG: Stephen Curry isn’t arguably the greatest shooter of all time – he is the greatest shooter of all time. When you take into account how he can shoot off the dribble at all different angles and ranges, he’s still a nightmare for opposing defenses, even at 38 years old. When you add in his ball handling and passing ability, he’s legitimately a top 10 player of all time. But Father Time doesn’t spare anyone. Enjoy Steph’s greatness while you can. The Warriors are hoping the “Baby Faced Assassin” has a couple more historic years in him.

Brandin Podziemski, SG: Fresh off a five-year, $110 million extension, if the Warriors are going to go anywhere this season, Podziemski needs to have a breakout season. He’s going to get his chances. After the All-Star break last season, “Podz” averaged 17.5 points, 6.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists while shooting 46 percent from the floor and 37 percent from downtown. He adds more than scoring, but he will ultimately be judged on if he can take his offensive game to another level…because the Warriors are desperately going to need his output.

Yaxel Lendeborg, F: The Warriors’ prized first-round selection is already making waves, averaging 15.6 points, 7.4 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.8 blocks while shooting 57 percent from the field and 44 percent from downtown in five preseason games (23 minutes per game). This was after he helped lead the Dubs to the 2026 Summer League championship, netting the 2026 Las Vegas Summer League MVP and Championship Game MVP along the way. Lendeborg is unquestionably the young player with the most buzz for the Warriors coming out of the offseason. The Warriors hope he explodes, and he has a chance to take Rookie of the Year honors. He’s looked that good.

Gui Santos, F: Another young player who surprised a lot of people last season as the Warriors’ 2022 second-round pick, Gui Santos has a lot grit and isn’t scared at the NBA level. He finally got some playing time last season and he responded by averaging 15.5 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists while shooting 49 percent from the field after the All-Star break. He can hit the occasional three-pointer to space the floor and he has a nice feel for the game. He needs to work on his turnovers and isolation defense, but he’s a warrior and the Warriors need all the warriors they can get this season. The Dubs expect big things from him this campaign.

Draymond Green, F/C: It’s a testament to Draymond Green that the Warriors still have faith that he can man the center position at 6’6″ and 36 years old. The Dennis Rodman of the Warriors for years and a key piece during their championship years, Green is the embodiment of a hard-nosed, gritty defender and rebounder who refuses to give an inch. He’s a liability offensively at this stage in his career when it comes to shooting, but he can still drive the offense as a point-forward and he knows this offense like the back of his hand. He can also drive his teammates crazy sometimes and always needs to be careful about technical fouls, but you take the great with the bad with Draymond – he’s probably not going to change in that area and he will absolutely light up his teammates if he feels they’re not giving full effort. An all-time great defender, every team needs someone like a Draymond Green on their team.

NOTABLE BENCH PLAYERS

Jimmy Butler, F and Moses Moody, G: Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody would certainly strengthen the team if they are able to return from injury this season and look similar to the previous versions of themselves. The 37-year-old Butler needs no introduction, a six-time All-Star and five-time All-NBA award winner most known for leading the Miami Heat to the NBA Finals in 2020 and 2023, particularly in 2023 when the eighth-seeded Heat almost shocked the world. He’s a great player, but he needs to be healthy to make an impact. Moody, known for his three-point ability and on-ball defense, would be a welcome sight if he returns this season and would strengthen the Warriors’ depth.

Will Richard, G: The Warriors’ 2025 second-round pick showed promise last season in limited minutes as a scorer and defender before hitting the rookie wall in January. The Warriors are hoping he can get back to the version from November and December, where he shot nearly 52 percent from the field and over 38 percent from downtown. They are going to need him with Moody out.

Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis, C: It’s appropriate to group both Horford and Porzingis together because they are both former All-Stars and NBA champions, and they are both aging centers with health and injury concerns. Horford, now 40 years old, is far removed from his championship days with the Boston Celtics, but he can still produce with limited minutes and is a notable mentor who will keep the young guys in line. He’s also not going to be pushed around in the paint defensively and he can hit the three-ball. Porzingis, 31, will not start the season with the Warriors, battling numerous health issues through the years, some of them undisclosed. No one seems to know what’s going on with him. He’s a legitimate rim protector who can rebound and hit from long distance if he becomes available, though.

Gary Payton II, G: A longtime fan favorite, Payton knows the Warriors’ system and is a plug-and-play piece for the Dubs who can lock down on defense and play physically offensively. He plays basketball the right way and is trustworthy in tense situations, not surprising considering he descends from none other than “The Glove.”

De’Anthony Melton, Brandon Williams, LJ Cryer, G: Melton has been a mixed bag with the Warriors. He can provide some scoring punch and run the offense and he’s a better defender than Podziemski, but he struggled significantly from the field late last season and hasn’t looked better during the preseason. He’s shot roughly 41 percent during his Warriors career, and he shot 29 percent from beyond the arc last season. The Warriors are going to need more from him, especially if he’s expected to back up Podziemski. The Warriors are giving Williams his chance this season. Williams, who will back up Curry at point guard, is a smaller guard who hasn’t flashed much play-making ability and struggles from long distance, but he’s fast and he can get to the rim, shooting 47 percent with the Dallas Mavericks last season. Cryer has become somewhat of a fan favorite, an unheralded second-year guard who emerged with the Warriors last season, playing 18 games and shooting 39 percent from long distance. The man can snipe, and his tenacious on-ball defense has garnered him many supporters, but he struggled in the preseason.

Charles Bassey, F/C: Bassey is going to be needed this season, given the age of the team. The former second-round pick plays with a physical style both offensively and defensively and he’s another big body to throw behind Horford and Porzingis. He’s an interesting player. He’s entering his sixth season and he’s still only 25 years old. He can disrupt defensively – whether he’s blocking shots or stealing the ball – and he can rebound. You won’t see him shooting from long range, but he can bang in the paint and finish inside. There’s also something to be said when organizations such as the Celtics and San Antonio Spurs have given him a test run through the years. There’s a chance Bassey still has untapped potential. In five games down the stretch for the Warriors last season, Bassey averaged 10.6 points, 7.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocks while shooting 68 percent from the field in limited minutes (20 minutes per game). In six games this preseason, he averaged 7.7 points, 6.2 boards, 1.5 blocks and 1.2 steals on 67 percent shooting (15.9 minutes per game).

Graham Ike, F/C: Despite the Warriors having Green, Horford, Porzingis and Bassey on their roster, you may see Ike, an undrafted rookie, pressed into action to start the season. Green is best used at center in small-ball lineups if possible, Horford’s minutes need to be managed throughout the campaign, Porzingis is dealing with health issues and the aforementioned Bassey was ruled out for Wednesday night’s opener with right patellar tendinopathy. Ike, standing 6’10” at 257 pounds, isn’t going to wow anyone with his offense, but he does provide a defensive presence in the paint, and he showed during the summer that he can make an impact with his defense and rebounding. It’s a lot to ask from Ike right out of the gate, but the Warriors might not have a choice.

SEASON OUTLOOK

It’s no mystery why the Warriors took a nosedive down the stretch last season.

The Warriors lost Butler to injury on Jan. 19, lost Curry on Jan. 30 for an extended period of time, and they were cooked after that.

The Warriors were 25-19 on Jan. 19, and then proceeded to go 12-26 after that. The lack of scoring upside hurt, but what really hurt Golden State was a breakdown in their defense. They had a defensive rating of 112.5 before the All-Star break (eighth-best in the league), only to post a defensive rating of 118.2 after the break (ranked 22nd in that span). Despite the slight downturn in scoring, if their defense had held strong that likely would have been the difference between them missing out on the playoffs and making the postseason. Of course, not having Butler on the floor appeared to be a big contributor to this. But as much as you want to blame the defensive collapse on the role players who had to fill in, it was a collective effort. Green struggled defensively after the break, which is perhaps more concerning, considering his age and the fact the Warriors have asked him to guard centers throughout his career. If Green has lost a step (which is only natural at his age), it’s going to put even more pressure on aging veterans such as Horford and Porzingis, and relying on them at this stage of their careers isn’t a recipe for success.

On the positive side, the Warriors showed with Curry and Butler on board they were good enough to be a playoff team, and despite Curry missing time until April 5, they came one win from advancing to the postseason. You can say if they stay healthy this season, they have a shot, but relying on older players is not sustainable in that regard, nor is expecting to be in playoff contention with a 37-45 record again. The Warriors can only hope. They are already expected to be without Butler and Moody until at least January or February.

It all adds up to if the Warriors can stay healthy, and if their aging veterans can perform at a high enough level as their bodies naturally break down. That’s a lot to ask. It may come down to young players such as Podziemski and Santos having breakout years, and Lendeborg having a rookie season to remember.

If that sounds like the Warriors need a lot of things to go right, that’s because they do.