Are the Warriors headed to the Play-In again?
After winning three championships in four years from 2015 to 2018, and another championship in 2022, the team hasn’t made it past the second round in the last four seasons.
For the last three seasons, the Warriors have been part of the Play-In tournament. In 2024, they lost to the Kings in the 9-10 Play-In game. In 2025, they defeated the Grizzlies in the 7-8 Play-In game to advance to the Playoffs. In 2026, they defeated the Clippers in the 9-10 Play-In game, but lost to the Suns in the 8-seed Play-In game.
The Same Fate?
ESPN released its Summer Forecast article, predicting the final standings for the 2026-27 NBA season.
The projection article puts the Warriors at ninth with a 35-47 record. The Suns are projected to finish eighth with a 42-40 record and the Utah Jazz are behind the Warriors at 34-48.
The Warriors finished with a 37-45 record last season and didn’t make many changes in the offseason, as they missed out on LeBron James in free agency and on potentially trading for Jaylen Brown or Anthony Davis, but re-signed Draymond Green, Kristaps Porzingis, De’Anthony Melton, Al Horford, and Gary Payton II.
They added Brandon Williams and Georges Niang to the end of their rotation, and drafted promising rookie Yaxel Lendeborg out of Michigan with the 11th overall pick.
They’ll begin the season with Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody on the IR.
A Fair Assessment?
There’s no reason to believe the Warriors will be significantly better than they were last season.
If Steph Curry stays healthy, they will be better by his presence, as they went 24-19 with him in the lineup last season, but Steph will be going into his 18th season, and his injury history speaks for itself.
Its core players are older or haven’t stayed healthy, and its young players would need to take a significant leap. Even if Brandin Podziemski does take the next step in his progression and Yaxel Lendeborg lives up to his promise, they aren’t as good as the Suns or Blazers.
Obviously, it’s a long season where a lot can happen. If Curry can play 70+ games, Butler returns earlier than expected and doesn’t miss a step, and Podziemski and Lendeborg impress, maybe they can climb to sixth with some breaks.
But the Play-In tournament looks to be the fate of the Warriors this season.
