How Warriors’ 2026 Offseason Continues to Get Worse

The Golden State Warriors have had a difficult time trying to build a formidable team around star player Stephen Curry this offseason. 

At the start of the summer, the Warriors made it a priority to bring back key veterans in Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis, and Draymond Green. 

All three players played a factor in the team’s success last season, as they made the play-in tournament. 

Golden State was also in the mix to sign LeBron James early on in his free agency phase. James has a good relationship with Steph Curry and Draymond Green, but both sides could not agree on a deal. 

Once James was off the market, the Sacramento Kings let go of DeMar DeRozan, another player the Warriors could have brought in. 

A big issue the Warriors are running into ahead of next season is their shooting guard and small forward spots. Both Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody are recovering from season ending injuries and may not be ready to start the year. 

Both James and DeRozan could have filled the void for Golden State, but they ultimately decided to sign elsewhere. 

The team was also linked to multiple free agent guards like Collin Sexton and Anfernee Simons, but nothing came about and both players also chose to sign elsewhere. 

The Warriors did end up with the 11th overall pick in the NBA Draft, selecting Yaxel Lendeborg out of Michigan, who is an older rookie but could produce right away. 

Lendeborg could turn out to be a suitable fit with the Warriors, but with his age there is uncertainty as to whether or not he can be a long term piece with this team. 

As a whole, this Warriors team has gone through the whole summer with question marks surrounding their whole roster, and with Steph Curry nearing the end of his career, it raises concerns on what the direction of the team is. 

The Warriors had a passive offseason and with the Western Conference being filled with offensive firepower, it makes it much harder for this team to compete. 

Aside from Curry, the Warriors will need more players to step up on offense if they want to have a chance at a playoff run. 

The front office ignored the lack of dynamic talent on this lineup, and it could cost them at the end of the season. It will be interesting to see how the Warriors will approach the late stage of free agency.