The Warriors have found a little rhythm on offense, and that alone changes the conversation around this team.
Over the last two games, Golden State has put up 134 points against the Denver Nuggets and 119 against a solid Minnesota Timberwolves defense. Stephen Curry didn’t need volume to drive the first of those performances, either - he took just eight shots and made every one of them. Alongside him, Yaxel Lendeborg has started to look like a real second option, giving the Warriors a more workable attack than they’ve had at other points this season.
That’s enough to lift some of the pressure. Through five games, Golden State sits sixth in offensive rating, and if that level holds anywhere near the top 10 over the course of the year, the Warriors will have a real shot to survive the Play-In Tournament and make some noise once they get there.
The more immediate issue is on the other side of the floor, where the improvement has been real but incomplete.
Golden State’s rotations have looked sharper over the past two games, and Draymond Green at center has helped the team protect the paint more effectively. Still, the early-season numbers tell the bigger story: the Warriors are 27th in total defensive rating, and that only climbs to 25th when you narrow the view to bench minutes.
With Kristaps Porzingis' future in serious question, the Warriors appear to have settled on small-ball with Green at center as their best two-way option. If they’re not going to swing a trade for a true starting big, then the clearest path to a better defense is finding another center who can soak up some of Al Horford’s minutes off the bench.
That kind of move would at least give Golden State more flexibility, which is badly needed.
Horford’s place in the rotation has already started to look shaky. The two-year, $14 million deal the Warriors gave him this offseason, player option included, is beginning to look like a gamble that may not pay off. Horford can still stretch the floor when the shot is there and bring veteran steadiness off the bench, but his ability to function as a real big man is fading fast.
So far, he’s averaging 4.5 points on 3.5 field goal attempts through four games. That kind of production isn’t exactly shocking given the way his minutes have to be managed, but it does underline how limited his offensive impact has been.
The bigger concern is that he hasn’t given Golden State the defensive lift it needs in those bench stretches. Even with the Warriors posting a 107.9 defensive rating in his limited minutes, the team is still 22nd in the league in average points in the paint during bench rotations.
And the alternatives haven’t exactly forced Steve Kerr’s hand. Charles Bassey’s biggest workload so far came in a 12-minute outing against the Phoenix Suns, and that was with nearly all of the veterans sitting. Graham Ike started against the Memphis Grizzlies, but Golden State moved away from that look by the fourth quarter as Memphis made its push.
If the starting group can settle into something more reliable defensively with Frank Vogel’s guidance, the one thing Golden State still needs is another usable option for the moments that demand it. A deal using Porzingis’ contract to bring in someone like Yves Missi would solve that problem right away, though the New Orleans Pelicans don’t appear eager to part with their young center.
For now, the Warriors’ path is pretty clear. If the offense stays this viable - especially until Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody are back - then the final piece is a deeper, steadier defense. And that likely starts with bringing in another rotational center, even if it means Horford’s role gets trimmed.
In Other News...
Warriors Center Problem Looks Worse As Former Big Man Thrives Elsewhere
Quinten Post is already making an early impact in Memphis, where the former Warriors big man has helped fuel the Grizzlies undefeated start and sturdy defensive play. The Grizzlies rewarded him with a three-year contract as a restricted free agent, a move that only sharpens the contrast with Golden States decision not to keep him around.
For the Warriors, the timing is awkward because the frontcourt picture is still unsettled and Kristaps Porzingis remains away from the team. His absence is being felt in the roster mix and on the floor, and Post thriving elsewhere adds another layer to a center situation that already looked thin. [Read more 🡒]
Zion Trade Idea Forces An Uncomfortable Pelicans Conversation
A recent Bleacher Report trade idea has put the Warriors in the middle of another big-name hypothetical, with Andy Bailey floating a deal that would send Draymond Green, Kristaps Porzingis and a 2027 first-round pick to New Orleans for Zion Williamson. It is the kind of framework that immediately grabs attention because it asks Golden State to part with one of its defining voices, while also imagining a roster shakeup built around a far more explosive offensive centerpiece.
For the Warriors, the appeal is obvious: Williamson would change the scoring ceiling and give the offense a different kind of pressure point. For New Orleans, the attraction would be the financial flexibility and the chance to reshape the roster around a veteran defender in Green, plus Porzingis and the draft asset. The uncomfortable part is just as clear, though, since the discussion quickly circles back to availability concerns on both sides and the reality that Golden State would be giving up Greens defensive leadership to make the swap happen. [Read more 🡒]
Draymond Green Just Changed What Warriors Should Want At Center
Draymond Greens recent stretch as Golden States small-ball center has given the Warriors a familiar kind of answer in unfamiliar circumstances. In back-to-back road wins, he handled the job the way he so often does for this team, taking on top opposing bigs and helping stabilize the middle even without a traditional center on the floor.
That kind of performance changes the conversation around what Golden State should be chasing next. The Warriors are still exploring trade possibilities, including Kristaps Porzingis, but the bigger question may be whether they want a center who brings more upside and trust than the current bench options. Yves Missi of the New Orleans Pelicans has emerged as a reported target, and the appeal is obvious: if Green can keep covering for the present, the Warriors can afford to be more selective about the future. [Read more 🡒]