The Warriors head into training camp with the same familiar faces at the center of everything, a fresh rookie drawing attention, and a roster built around one big hope: that this version can stay on the floor long enough to matter.
Their work begins Tuesday on the beaches of Oahu, with camp running through Oct. 5 as they gear up for the regular-season opener on Oct. 21 against the LeBron-less Lakers. Even after 18 preseason ramps into a new year, Steph Curry still says the nerves show up.
“Me and Draymond (Green) were talking about it yesterday,” Curry said on Wednesday. “There’s still the anxiety and nerves around.”
Curry, Green and Steve Kerr remain the franchise’s core, even if that looked uncertain at points over the summer. Green declined his player option before eventually returning on a one-year deal after the Warriors came up empty in their pursuit of LeBron James. Kerr also spent three weeks weighing retirement before agreeing to a new two-year contract.
Curry’s own situation brings another layer of intrigue. The 38-year-old has been eligible since Aug. 29 for a $136.7 million two-year extension, but he told reporters this week he is in no rush to sign it.
He also said he is not looking to leave the Bay Area. What he is focused on now is managing the sore right knee that cost him 27 games last season, and he said he has changed his routine to help deal with it.
The Warriors also enter camp with two important forwards expected to be around the team but not taking part in on-court work. Moses Moody is recovering from a torn patellar tendon, while Jimmy Butler is rehabbing a torn ACL. Both are not expected back until the calendar flips to 2027.
That leaves plenty of opportunity elsewhere, and one of the most intriguing names is rookie Yaxel Lendeborg. The Warriors landed the No. 11 pick after last season’s play-in exit and used it on the 6-foot-9 Michigan standout, who was part of a national championship team.
He wasted no time making noise in the summer, posting averages of 14.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 1.5 steals per game while taking home Las Vegas Summer League MVP honors. He is expected to get every chance to play.
There’s also a familiar supporting cast back in place. The Warriors brought back centers Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis on two-year deals, and guard De’Anthony Melton is also back on a two-year contract. All three missed time with injuries last season, and if Golden State is going to do better than its play-in projection, it needs those health issues to stay in the past.
Brandin Podziemski and Gui Santos are back as well, and both are expected to see major minutes.
The front office mostly chose continuity, keeping nearly the entire roster from last season and adding just two veterans on minimum deals. Guard Brandon Williams brings a score-first game and the ability to get to the rim, while forward Georges Niang comes in as a career 40% shooter from deep.
Golden State’s Hawaii stay wraps up with an Oct. 4 preseason game against the Clippers at the University of Hawaii’s gymnasium. After that, the team flies back to San Francisco on Oct. 5 and faces the Lakers the next day at Chase Center.
In Other News...
Warriors Trade Buzz Around Karl-Anthony Towns Comes With One Awkward Catch
Karl-Anthony Towns has already emerged as one of the bigger names to watch as the Knicks weigh their next move, and the Warriors are said to be among the teams paying close attention. Towns holds a $61 million player option and could choose free agency next summer, which gives New York a reason to think about acting before the situation gets even more complicated. From Golden States side, the appeal is obvious: Towns is a high-end talent who could reshape the frontcourt picture if the right deal materializes.
The catch is in the mechanics, because any serious pursuit would have to navigate a tricky trade market while Towns is still seeking a max extension from the Knicks. Jimmy Butlers expiring contract and draft capital would likely be part of the framework, even as he works back from a torn ACL and is expected to return early next year. There is also a little basketball irony baked into the whole thing, given the shared history involved, which only makes the possibility feel even more layered as the offseason conversation develops. [Read more 🡒]
Buddy Hield Just Got An Unexpected Opening With The Hornets
The Hornets preseason injury list already has a ripple effect for Buddy Hield, who was traded to Charlotte and suddenly finds a clearer path to minutes. With LaMelo Ball dealt away and the roster thinning further, the teams need for perimeter shooting becomes even more obvious, which is where Hield can still make his case despite a recent stretch that has fallen short of his career efficiency.
Charlotte said Kon Knueppel and Grant Williams will sit out all of preseason with hamstring injuries and will be re-evaluated in the first week of the regular season. Knueppels absence, in particular, opens the door a little wider for Hield to work into the rotation, giving the Hornets another proven outside threat while they sort through an early-season lineup that is already missing pieces. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Camp Could Reshape Two Roster Battles Fast
Training camp has a way of sharpening the conversation around the Warriors, and this one has already turned into a small but meaningful test for the roster. Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg is in the mix as the staff sorts through lineup options, while Gui Santos remains part of the broader discussion at small forward. With new coach Frank Vogel expected to lean on defense and bigger lineups, the way Golden State frames those roles in camp could carry real weight once the season starts.
Brandon Williams adds another layer to the competition, because his place on the roster is still unsettled and the team is clearly watching how the back end of the roster fits together. Vogels defensive preferences could end up influencing more than just the starting group, since the rotation decisions may reflect which combinations give Golden State the most size and versatility. For a team trying to balance immediate stability with development, camp is quickly becoming the place where a couple of roster questions could be answered just as fast. [Read more 🡒]