On the eve of a new season, the Golden State Warriors are staring at a very different kind of ceiling.
Head coach Steve Kerr isn’t offering up big predictions, and maybe that says enough on its own. In a season where expectations have been stripped down to the bare minimum, the most optimistic version of the Warriors might be something that would have sounded absurd not long ago: a first-round playoff exit.
That would have been unthinkable a few years back, when the franchise was still talking comfortably about championship runs. Even last season, Golden State was still speaking in that language, and after the way the 2024-25 campaign ended, it wasn’t unreasonable to keep thinking in those terms. But it became obvious well before the team lost Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody that this roster didn’t have the kind of talent needed for a deep postseason push.
The Athletic’s recent power rankings and season projections reflect that reality. Law Murray has the Warriors finishing eighth in the Western Conference, getting back into the Play-In mix and then sneaking into the playoffs, only to fall to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the opening round.
And honestly, the Warriors might take that right now without hesitation. Compared with last season, it would still count as progress. It would also give Stephen Curry another chance to put on a show against the Thunder, with enough of his usual magic to maybe steal a game or two and make Oklahoma City work for it.
That’s how quickly things can shift for a franchise. Maintaining a dynasty this long is hard, and the alternative is what the Chicago Bulls did by trading moving on from everyone.
Curry is still the piece that keeps this whole thing worth watching. As long as he’s healthy and on the floor, Golden State will remain entertaining. But that also means every big night he has will reopen the same debate: whether the Warriors have done enough around him, or whether the front office has let the end of his career arrive without enough star help beside him.
Those complaints aren’t baseless. Still, championships are no longer the measuring stick here.
The focus now is smaller, more practical, and far less glamorous: steady improvement and a return to fundamentals. That may feel strange, but for Warriors fans, the faster that reality sinks in, the easier this season will be to follow.
In Other News...
Warriors May Be Forced Into A Frontcourt Move Sooner Than Expected
Kristaps Porzingis being sidelined by an illness and Charles Bassey dealing with knee tendinitis has left the Warriors with a thinner center rotation than they likely expected this early. For now, Golden State is leaning on Al Horford, whose minutes will be managed, and two-way big man Graham Ike as it tries to keep the middle of the floor covered.
The situation has put a spotlight on a frontcourt group that already looked like a potential pressure point, and it may force the Warriors to move sooner than planned if the shortage lingers. With the season moving along, the team is expected to weigh whether adding more center depth, or even a better option, becomes necessary to stabilize the rotation. [Read more 🡒]
Steve Kerrs Jimmy Butler Update Says A Lot About Warriors Ceiling
The Warriors are heading into their 2026-27 opener against the Lakers without Jimmy Butler, and that alone puts an early spotlight on how they navigate the first stretch of the season. Butler is still working back from the torn ACL he suffered a year ago, but Steve Kerrs latest update suggested the veteran wing is moving in the right direction, with Kerr noting that Butler has been doing well and was recently spotted getting in work in the teams weight room.
Kerr also made clear that Butler remains a different kind of presence when he is around the group, which matters for a Warriors team trying to keep its ceiling intact while waiting on his return. The bigger question now is not just when Butler gets back on the floor, but how much his mentality and two-way edge can eventually raise the standard for a team that will be measured from the start by how it handles these early games without him. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Injury Crunch Puts Steve Kerr In A Tough Lakers Decision
Brandin Podziemski has been ruled out for the Warriors game against the Lakers, adding another layer to a rotation that is already being stretched by injuries. Golden State has been dealing with a long list of unavailable or uncertain bodies, with Jimmy Butler, Kristaps Porzingis, Moses Moody and Charles Bassey all either sidelined or questionable as Steve Kerr tries to patch together a workable lineup.
Will Richard, meanwhile, is suddenly in the conversation again after being out of the mix recently. With so many pieces in flux, the Warriors may need to lean on depth they have not had to trust much lately, and that makes the pregame decisions even more important against a Lakers team that can punish any shortage of available defenders or ball handlers. [Read more 🡒]