At 15-15 heading into Christmas, the Golden State Warriors find themselves in unfamiliar territory - not just in the standings, but in the mirror. For a franchise that’s defined the last decade of NBA basketball, mediocrity isn’t just disappointing - it’s disorienting.
General manager Mike Dunleavy joined the “Warriors Pregame Live” crew ahead of Monday’s win over the Orlando Magic and gave a candid look at where things stand. When asked about the possibility of a major trade before the February 5 deadline, Dunleavy didn’t exactly slam the door shut - but he didn’t swing it open either.
“We’ll look to do stuff that makes our team better,” he said. “But I wouldn’t bank on that type of move. To get a guy like Jimmy Butler, to have the improvement that we did … that’d be pretty unrealistic.”
It’s a clear reference to last season’s deadline-day stunner, when Golden State pulled off a blockbuster to land Butler. That move turned their season on a dime - the Warriors finished 23-8 after the trade and looked poised for another deep run. But Steph Curry’s injury in the Western Conference Semifinals against Minnesota stopped that momentum cold.
This year, there’s no such spark - and no injury excuse either. The issues run deeper, and Dunleavy knows it.
“I think the key, frankly, with this team right now is improving it from within,” he said. “The biggest area we know is turnovers.”
Turnovers have been a recurring nightmare. Golden State currently coughs it up 16.2 times per game - fifth-most in the league.
Only Portland, Houston, the Clippers and Charlotte are worse. For a team built on precision and ball movement, those numbers are more than just stats - they’re symptoms.
“We’ve got to start taking care of the ball,” Dunleavy emphasized. “We’re doing some really good stuff defensively.
People talk a lot about our size - between Quinten and Draymond, when those two are in the game, our rim protection is fantastic. When Steph’s off the court and Jimmy’s on with the group, our offense is pretty good.”
That’s the puzzle: flashes of promise, but no sustained rhythm. The defense, particularly with Draymond Green and Quinten on the floor, has shown bite.
Offensively, there are stretches where the ball hums and the spacing works. But those moments are fleeting - and so is consistency.
One glaring hole remains: a reliable scoring big. Al Horford was brought in during the offseason to help anchor the frontcourt, but so far, the fit hasn’t clicked. Whether it’s age, role, or system, the production just hasn’t been there.
“This has become a possession game in the NBA,” Dunleavy said. “With the rebounding, the steals, taking care of the ball.
I think we’re all frustrated. We know what the issue is, and we’ve just got to go solve it.”
That frustration has boiled over at times. Steve Kerr and Draymond Green have had visible sideline spats.
Jonathan Kuminga has been in and out of the rotation, even racking up multiple DNPs. The vibe around this team hasn’t been toxic - but it’s definitely been tense.
Still, there’s a glimmer of momentum. Golden State has won two straight heading into their Christmas Day showdown with the Dallas Mavericks. They’re currently sitting eighth in the West - not where they want to be, but not out of reach either.
The question now isn’t whether the Warriors can make a splashy trade. It’s whether they can rediscover the identity that made them great in the first place - the ball security, the internal trust, the defensive grit. Because if that doesn’t show up soon, no trade deadline miracle is going to save this season.