The Warriors’ path to the 2026-27 playoffs starts with Stephen Curry, but it can’t end there.
Golden State absolutely needs Curry operating at a superstar level this season. The reminder came last year, when he was out for an extended stretch near the end of the campaign.
If he’s not playing at that level, this group is in trouble. The same warning applies if Jimmy Butler can’t get back to something close to his old self by the end of the season.
Still, the burden can’t sit on those two alone. The Warriors have added pieces that give them a real chance to build around defense again, and that matters because a sturdy defensive identity can carry a team through the kind of season Golden State is facing.
That starts with the group around Curry and Butler. Kristaps Porzingis and Yaxel Lendeborg give the Warriors a path back toward the NBA’s better defenses, and Frank Vogel’s arrival as an assistant coach should help push that along. Golden State does not need everything to go perfectly on offense if the defense can become the team’s backbone.
When Butler first got to Golden State, the Warriors’ regular-season surge was tied to the scoring boost he brought next to Curry. But the other half of that run was just as important: from Butler’s arrival through the end of the 2024-25 season, the Warriors posted the best defensive rating in the NBA. That came with Butler’s on-ball work meshing with the rest of the roster’s balanced approach, even without a true rim-protecting center.
No one should expect Butler to carry that exact defensive load again. But the setup around him looks stronger now.
Porzingis, when healthy, still gives them real rim protection. Lendeborg looks like the kind of two-way frontcourt piece this roster needs, with range and athleticism that should matter. De’Anthony Melton is projected to start beside Curry in the backcourt, and as he gets closer to full health, he should be able to bring more activity on the defensive end.
Draymond Green still belongs in the middle of this discussion, too. His offensive decline drew plenty of frustration last season, but he remains one of the league’s sharpest defensive minds.
Vogel’s track record only adds to the appeal. He’s known for a polished defensive system, and he believes Porzingis can fit well inside it.
The open question is whether Golden State has enough perimeter defense to apply the kind of pressure Vogel wants. That part will play out over the season.
But as a staff addition, he raises the floor for Steve Kerr’s group, and the Warriors have enough talent to make the scheme work.
Realistically, Golden State’s playoff route runs through the Play-In, and more specifically through earning one of the top two Play-In seeds and then grabbing a first-round spot from there. That means surviving injuries and the inevitable inconsistency of an 82-game season. And because defense tends to hold up better than pure offense over time, it gives the Warriors a more reliable way to stay afloat.
Even in the first half of last season, Golden State ranked just 19th on defense. If this team can climb back into the top 7-10, that could be enough to help it navigate the 2026-27 grind.
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 Opens With One Huge Question Around Their Season Outlook
The Warriors open training camp in Oahu on Oct. 3 with the usual mix of familiarity and uncertainty that has come to define this stage of their season. Stephen Curry and Draymond Green are back in the fold, the roster has been mostly retained, and the front office sprinkled in veteran help with Brandon Williams and Georges Niang on minimum deals, while rookie Yaxel Lendeborg is expected to get a real chance to matter. Golden State will not have to wait long to see where it stands, either, with its first preseason game set for Oct. 4 against the Clippers in Hawaii.
The bigger question, though, is how much of this group will actually be available when camp gets rolling and how quickly the rotation can take shape before the NBA season opens Oct. 21. Curry is managing a knee issue, and there is no sense of urgency around his contract situation, which only adds to the feeling that the Warriors are entering camp with more to sort through than a typical contender. For a team still trying to balance its veteran core with a younger supporting cast, the first few days in Hawaii should reveal plenty about the shape of this season, even if the most important answers are still waiting to be found. [Read more 🡒]