The Warriors enter 2026-27 with a closing window and a retooled core. Here's how the roster shapes up and where Golden State lands.
This Golden State Warriors season preview: Lineup, roster and prediction breaks down everything from the starting five to the bench mob to the final win total. The dynasty is done. What comes next gets one last swing. Stephen Curry is 38, Jimmy Butler is 37, and Draymond Green is 36 - the oldest star trio in the Western Conference, per NBA.com. Last season ended at 48-34: a 7-seed, a play-in win over Houston, then a five-game exit against Minnesota. Bump in the road, or the new normal? The next six months will tell us.
The New-Look Lineup: Curry, Butler and the Supporting Cast
Projected Starting Five
This is no longer a one-star show. Jimmy Butler arrived in February 2025, and his two-year, $111M extension through 2026-27 gives Steve Kerr a genuine co-star next to Curry. Butler averaged 20.8 points, 5.3 rebounds and 5.0 assists across 55 games last season, per Basketball Reference. He wasn't vintage Miami Butler every night. He was close enough to change how defenses guard Golden State.
- PG: Stephen Curry - under contract through 2026-27, still the engine
- SG: Brandin Podziemski - the connector, rebounds and shoots it
- SF: Jimmy Butler - two-way closer, playoff riser
- PF: Draymond Green - defensive QB, player option for 2026-27
- C: TBD - the biggest question mark in the building
The spacing works. Curry and Butler both command attention, and Podziemski's off-ball movement fits Kerr's system. The real question: does the frontcourt hold up against Denver and Minnesota? It didn't last spring, and nothing structural has changed yet.
Table: Projected Starting Five - 2025-26 Production
| Player | Pos. | PPG | RPG | APG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stephen Curry | PG | 26.4 | 4.5 | 6.1 |
| Brandin Podziemski | SG | 12.8 | 6.1 | 3.9 |
| Jimmy Butler | SF | 20.8 | 5.3 | 5.0 |
| Draymond Green | PF | 8.2 | 6.4 | 5.7 |
| Center TBD | C | - | - | - |
Bench and Rotation Depth
Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody are the swing pieces - young, athletic, and finally past the "potential" phase. Kuminga's 2025 contract saga dragged into the fall. He re-signed, and now it's a prove-it year. Moody has quietly become a reliable 3-and-D wing at roughly 38% from deep. The bench needs one of them to make a genuine leap. Buddy Hield provides instant offense. Trayce Jackson-Davis gives you energy minutes. But this second unit still lacks a backup creator who can survive non-Curry minutes - the same hole that has swallowed entire quarters since 2023.
📊 Steph Curry at 26.4 PPG in 2025-26 - only the second player in NBA history to average 26+ points at age 37 or older.
Roster Questions and Camp Battles
Training camp invites and veteran minimum signings will decide the 9th-12th spots. Watch for:
- Center depth: Golden State's eternal weak spot. Whoever wins the starting five job needs to defend the rim and not clog the Curry-Butler driving lanes. It's the single biggest roster question on the board.
- Kerr's future: His contract ran through 2025-26, and his status beyond that was unconfirmed as of August 2025. Coaching stability matters with an aging core.
- Health: Curry is 38, Butler 37, Green 36. Load management isn't optional - it's the season.
The West didn't get easier. Denver still has Nikola Jokic. Oklahoma City is the defending champ. Minnesota owns the Warriors in the playoffs until proven otherwise. Golden State's margin for error is thinner than any contender's.
Table: Age and Contract Status - Core Three
| Player | Age (Sept. 2026) | Contract Through |
|---|---|---|
| Stephen Curry | 38 | 2026-27 (extension signed Aug. 2024) |
| Jimmy Butler | 37 | 2026-27 ($111M extension) |
| Draymond Green | 36 | 2026-27 (player option) |
