2026-27 Season Preview: Golden State Warriors

The Warriors enter the 2026-27 season looking to make another push in the Western Conference.

Offseason Recap

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Last Season

: 37-45 (10th in West, lost in SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament)

• Key Additions

: Yaxel Lendeborg, Georges Niang, Brandon Williams

Every Warriors move this offseason

Season Outlook

The last time we saw the Warriors on the hardwood, an emotional moment between head coach Steve Kerr and stars Stephen Curry and Draymond Green raised questions about the end of the Dubs dynasty’s run.

So the summer’s first order of business was to bring Kerr back on a multi-year deal. And after being in the mix to land free agent LeBron James this summer and join forces with its greatest modern rival, Golden State continued with its mission to maximize the remaining win-now window of its own all-time talent in Curry.

The team is banking on health being a difference-maker this year, with the most high-impact offseason acquisition likely coming in the form of No. 11 overall pick Yaxel Lendeborg. The soon-to-be 24-year-old put his best foot forward this summer, taking home NBA Summer League MVP, to go with the Dubs’ Las Vegas title.

Each of the last three NBA Summer League champs prior to Golden State went on to clinch a SoFi NBA Play-In Tournament spot or Playoff berth. The Warriors look in-line to continue that trend, consistently finishing 7th-through-10th in the West during that same span.

Restored health for Curry, a mid-season return for Jimmy Butler III (knee) – a leading-scoring duo who missed a combined 83 games last campaign – a full season of Kristaps Porziņģis, and a splash of energy from Lendeborg drive a 6-game improvement for the Dubs. That would land them in the Play-In Tournament for a fourth straight season, where they’re 2-2 since 2024.

Breakout Candidate: Brandin Podziemski

Podziemski continued climbing offensively in his third year (13.8 ppg), finishing with a late-season surge that teased another level. He didn’t cross the 20+ point margin until March 2 last season, but then reached 20+ in half his remaining games.

Appearing in all 82 games, Podziemski racked up the 2nd-most total points (1,133) and total triples (153) for the Warriors last year, behind only Curry in both categories. He was one of just four other Dubs not named Curry, Butler III or Porziņģis to notch a 30+ point game, with his career-high 30-point game on April 11.

With more shots for the taking in 2026-27 after the departure of Pat Spencer, and the added motivation of playing for his next contract, Podziemski could approach Splash sidekick status in the Bay.

1 Number To Know

5 —

Porziņģis, who just re-signed on a multi-year extension, could feel like the offseason difference-maker Golden State looked to add, having played just five games – including the Play-In Tournament – with Curry last season. The veteran X-factor reached double-digits in points in all but one of those five outings alongside the all-time 3s leader.

Green joined Curry and Porziņģis on the floor in just four of those games, and Butler III has yet to share any playing time with Porziņģis. So the 2026-27 Dubs still look forward to bringing last year’s core all together for the first time.

— John Schuhmann

5 Must-See Matchups

Nov. 5: Heat vs. Warriors

— Klay Thompson returns to the city where he won his four championships, this time as a key cog in Miami’s plans to contend in 2026-27. Come for the memories, stay for the Splash showdown.

Jan. 17: Warriors vs. Heat

— Butler III, eyeing a January-February return from knee surgery, could be back for this South Beach stop, where the Heat have their first superstar acquisition in Giannis Antetokounmpo since adding Jimmy Buckets in 2019. How will Butler III respond?

Feb. 5: Warriors vs. Hornets

— Steph Curry led the league in 3s made per game (4.4) last season for a sixth straight year. But the most made total 3s belonged to rookie Kon Knueppel (273), the first rookie to ever lead the league. So what’s usually a sweet, fun-natured homecoming visit for Curry in Charlotte now includes heavy competition from one of the game’s hottest new shooters.

Mar. 24: 76ers vs. Warriors

— Top offseason target LeBron James faces Golden State for the first time since signing with Philly and squashing fan dreams of a King-Curry greatest hits tour. The rivals will battle across conferences for the first time since four straight Warriors-Cavs Finals, 2015-2018.

Apr. 6: Suns vs. Warriors

— Deep in the playoff push with just four games left to vie for seeding, a rematch against the team that ended Golden State’s 2025-26 season, with a back-to-back against OKC looming next. Will these Warriors finish the regular season with a statement?

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Complete Regular Season Schedule

Preseason Storylines

What can Lendeborg, Will Richard, LJ Cryer and the rest of the NBA Summer League champion Warriors infuse into the primetime squad?

“I’m gonna be the most energetic-playing guy on the floor every night,” Lendeborg said after winning in Vegas – a welcome notion for one of the oldest rosters in the league.

Where he lines up on the floor will be one of the key decisions for Kerr this preseason, whether behind Green on the depth chart, or alongside him in the starting lineup.

Kerr’s return to the sideline will make for a notable preseason moment, following contract uncertainty at the close of 2025-26.

“I’m excited to keep competing with this group,” Kerr said upon re-signing in May.

“This organization has meant so much to me for the last 12 years … and it’s an incredible privilege to be a part of something so special.”

And with the championship core still intact, all eyes will follow Curry as he sets sail on season 18, following an injury-challenged 2025-26 that will put added interest on his preseason ramp-up.

Complete Preseason Schedule