Stephen Curry’s 18th season will be his last push for a championship run, and he has the team to make it happen. Last season, the Golden State Warriors won 37 of 82 games and lost to the Phoenix Suns in the Play-In Tournament. Heading into this season, the Warriors have lost a few star players to injuries, with Jimmy Butler’s ACL tear and Moses Moody’s ruptured left patellar tendon.
During the offseason, the Warriors explored major moves to improve their championship chances. They pursued LeBron James and considered a potential trade for Anthony Davis, but neither move worked out. Instead, Golden State focused on its existing roster and younger players. Although the offseason was relatively quiet, the team can still improve without making a major trade.
One of the biggest reasons to believe in the Warriors is rookie Yaxel Lendeborg. He was the 11th overall pick in the 2026 NBA draft and enters the league with more experience than any other rookie. Lendeborg could play a key role in helping the Warriors compete for a top-5 or top-6 seed, making them a competitive team in the Western Conference and pushing for a championship run.
The biggest reason for optimism is what the healthy roster could accomplish. For those who don’t remember, the last time Butler, Curry, Moody, and Green were fully healthy, they were the 7th seed, winning against the stacked Houston Rockets team with Alperen Sengun and Jalen Green in seven games, ultimately losing to the Timberwolves in five games because of Curry’s early injury.
The Warriors can be competitive in the Western Conference if all five starters are healthy, and Lendeborg plays at a rookie-of-the-year caliber. Butler and Moody are expected to return in mid-January. The Warriors can be above .500 before Butler and Moody return by playing against relatively low-seeded teams, such as New Orleans, Utah, Memphis, and the Bucks.
Throughout the offseason, people doubted the Warriors would have a good season because of injuries and past records, believing the Warriors were doomed to lose to ranked teams like LA, the Timberwolves, the Denver Nuggets, and the Spurs. However, we can’t count the Warriors out yet with rookie Yaxel Lendeborg.
Ultimately, we shouldn’t dismiss the Warriors after three disappointing seasons. While they’re not championship favorites, a top-five finish is possible if Curry plays at a high level, the injured players return effectively, and the younger players develop. Golden State has a difficult road ahead, but if everything goes right, the Warriors could surprise the Western Conference and become a legitimate playoff threat.