The Golden State Warriors are heading into preseason with more to sort through than most teams at this stage of the calendar. The roster still has spots up for grabs, several veterans are being asked to adjust to new roles in 2026-27, and the broader shape of the offense and defense is still coming into focus. With preseason set to begin Oct. 4 and a six-game slate ahead, there are a few things worth tracking closely.
The biggest early question may be how comfortable De'Anthony Melton looks with the ball in his hands. There was a stretch last season when he appeared on track to outperform the $3 million player option he had with the Warriors in 2026-27, which seemed to push him toward a more lucrative market once free agency arrived.
Instead, his finish to the season raised concerns. Over his final 14 games of 2025-26, he averaged just 10.5 points and shot 38.7% from the field, and this week it was revealed he had surgery on both thumbs this offseason to deal with what was bothering him.
That matters even more if Melton is going to open next to Stephen Curry in the backcourt. Golden State needs him to be a reliable scorer and a threat from the perimeter, not just a body in the rotation. A strong shooting camp would go a long way toward easing some of that pressure.
Another area to watch is how Steve Kerr handles the frontcourt combinations involving Draymond Green, Yaxel Lendeborg, and Gui Santos. Kerr said yesterday that Santos is "right in the mix" for a starting spot in the Warriors' frontcourt, and with Kristaps Porzingis' availability uncertain to begin the season, that could mean more than one path is on the table. Green could see minutes at the five early on, which would open the door for different combinations around him.
Preseason should give Kerr room to experiment, so the exact minute totals won’t tell the whole story. Still, if Santos and Lendeborg are frequently paired together, that would suggest Golden State is interested in leaning into their shooting and the broader offensive flexibility they bring.
Santos does not have to start to matter, and he does not even need to play all of his minutes beside Lendeborg to have a real role. The key is how much Kerr uses those two to fit into the Warriors’ changing offensive plan.
Then there is Porzingis, and with him comes the most important issue of all: health. He has been ruled out only for the first week of training camp because of an undisclosed health issue, but that is enough to put his status under the microscope. Given his injury and availability history, any setback is worth watching.
Golden State needs him at center as often as possible if it wants to approach its ceiling. When he is available and in rhythm, Porzingis can stretch the floor, protect the rim, and give the Warriors something close to a second offensive option. If he misses time, especially early, the team could have a harder time building the kind of balanced attack it needs.
Nothing about Porzingis’ situation is especially shocking, but that does not make it less significant. The faster he gets back, the better the Warriors’ start can look.
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Jonathan Kuminga's Old Standoff Just Got A Telling NBA Comparison
Jalen Durens new deal with Detroit closed out one of the more notable restricted free agency sagas of the summer, and it has a familiar ring for anyone who followed Jonathan Kumingas contract talks with Golden State. The comparison makes sense on a few levels: a young player, a team trying to keep control of a promising asset, and the pressure that comes when contract decisions start carrying as much weight as development itself.
For the Warriors, the broader lesson is less about the dollar figure than the process. Situations like this can quickly turn from simple roster business into a test of trust, patience and long-term planning, especially when a player has to balance security against leverage. Durens path now gives another example of how messy that balance can get, and why these negotiations tend to linger in the background long after the headlines move on. [Read more 🡒]
Podziemski Is Giving The Warriors A Tough Contract Decision
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For the Warriors, the timing adds another layer. Podziemski is sitting on a $17.5 million cap hold, and the front office has until the October 19 rookie extension deadline to decide how aggressive it wants to be. If he keeps playing at this level, Golden State may have to weigh a more expensive commitment now against the cap flexibility it would prefer to preserve later. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors May Need Yaxel Lendeborg Sooner Than Anyone Expected
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With Golden State dealing with roster injuries and other needs, that kind of flexibility matters immediately. Kerr has said he is comfortable using Lendeborg at multiple forward spots, and even in a small-ball center role, which is a strong sign the rookie could be pushed into a significant part of the rotation sooner than expected. [Read more 🡒]