The Golden State Warriors are sitting at 11-10 as December rolls in, and the vibes in the Bay Area are far from championship-level. After a promising 4-1 start to the 2025-26 season, Golden State has stumbled to a 7-9 mark since, and two of the team’s most vocal leaders - Draymond Green and Jimmy Butler - aren’t mincing words about what’s gone wrong.
Draymond and Butler Sound the Alarm
Draymond Green has never been one to sugarcoat things, and following a 104-100 loss at home to the Houston Rockets on November 26, he was brutally honest about the Warriors’ defensive struggles.
“Our defense is s***,” Green said flat-out. “We are individually - I know everyone likes to twist words - I said WE are individually f****** awful.”
That wasn’t just a venting session. It was a call to arms.
Green, a four-time NBA champion and the emotional engine of this team, made it clear he’s not here to coddle anyone. “I ain’t a big keep the spirit up guy,” he added.
“That ain’t my department. I motherf*** you.”
Jimmy Butler, who was brought in to bring toughness and two-way leadership, echoed Green’s frustration. “We don’t box out.
We don’t go with the scouting report,” Butler said. “We let anybody do whatever they want - open shots, get into the paint, free throws.
It’s just sad.”
For a team that prides itself on culture, defense, and execution, those comments hit hard - and they were meant to.
From Hot Start to Sluggish Stretch
The Warriors came into this season with high expectations. They made moves to bolster the roster in the offseason and swung a major deal to bring in Butler at last year’s trade deadline. For a moment, it looked like everything was clicking - Stephen Curry was doing Stephen Curry things, and the team’s depth appeared strong enough to survive the grind of a loaded Western Conference.
But that early-season optimism has been tested. Injuries to key rotation players like Jonathan Kuminga and Al Horford have disrupted the lineup, and while the defensive metrics still place Golden State in the top half of the league, the eye test - and Green’s blunt assessment - tell a different story.
The loss to Houston was a microcosm of the Warriors’ issues: 22 points allowed off 16 turnovers, and no answer for rookie guard Reed Sheppard, who exploded for 31 points in the best performance of his young career. The Warriors looked disconnected on defense, slow in transition, and careless with the ball - a dangerous mix in today’s NBA.
And then came the gut punch: Stephen Curry left the game with a quad contusion and is expected to miss at least a week. With the team already struggling to find its rhythm, losing its offensive engine only raises the stakes.
Seth Curry Returns - And Just in Time
In the midst of all this, there’s a glimmer of hope. The Warriors officially signed Seth Curry on December 1, bringing back a familiar face who just might give this team the jolt it needs.
Seth, who led the league in three-point shooting last season at 45.6%, had been with the Warriors in training camp before being waived due to salary cap constraints. Now he’s back on a full-season deal, and the timing couldn’t be better. With Stephen sidelined, Seth will have a chance to step in and immediately contribute as a floor spacer and secondary ball-handler.
This also marks the first time the Curry brothers will suit up as NBA teammates - a storyline fans have been waiting years to see. But beyond the sentimental value, Seth brings real on-court value to a team that’s been starving for consistent shooting off the bench. Buddy Hield, who was expected to fill that role, has struggled from beyond the arc, hitting just 30.8% of his threes this season.
If Seth can knock down shots and help stabilize the second unit, it could be a key turning point - especially while the team navigates life without Steph.
Can the Warriors Get Back on Track?
At 11-10, the Warriors are currently eighth in the West - just 2.5 games out of a top-six seed. So no, the sky isn’t falling. But the margin for error is razor-thin in a conference where the Thunder, Rockets, and Nuggets are all playing high-level basketball.
Butler didn’t mince words: without Curry, the Warriors need to be close to perfect. And Green has made it clear that defense - not schemes or analytics - will be the difference-maker.
It’s about effort, communication, and pride. So far, those things have been inconsistent at best.
The coaching staff has laid down solid game plans, but it’s on the players to execute. And right now, the veterans are demanding more accountability, more urgency, and more fight.
There’s still time. The talent is there.
If the Warriors can get healthy, rediscover their defensive identity, and get everyone pulling in the same direction, they can absolutely make a run. Seth Curry’s arrival adds a new wrinkle, and once Stephen is back, this team could look a lot more like the version that started 4-1.
But until then, the message from Green and Butler is loud and clear: potential doesn’t win games - toughness, discipline, and execution do. And if the Warriors want to be taken seriously in the West, it’s time to stop talking about what they could be and start showing it on the court.