As the Golden State Warriors enter the 2025-26 season, all eyes will be on the viability of their veteran core and the potential for their success in a loaded Western Conference.
Yet, the narrative that will supersede all is the rapidly approaching conclusion to superstar Stephen Curry's career, and, were he able to lead this Warriors team to one more unlikely championship, his name would certainly be cemented among the all-time greats.
Although there is much excitement around Golden State for next season given their performance following their acquisition of Jimmy Butler, all will be dependent upon Curry as the team attempts to make one final run in their current era.
Could the Warriors win the title next season?
Curry, at age 37, is still among the premier players in the league. Last season, through 70 games, Curry averaged 24.5 points, 4.4 rebounds and six assists, earning down-ballot MVP votes, an All-Star nod, and second-team All-NBA honors.
Yet, throughout most of the season, the Warriors floundered with Curry as their sole scoring option. Therefore, the addition of Butler at the trade deadline, through taking some of the pressure off of Curry, allowed for the team's offense as a whole to thrive in a way that was unimagineable through the first half of the season.
Therefore, as Golden State enters the upcoming season, it is reasonable to expect that they will have high expectations internally for this team's performance.
Yet, their stagnancy this offseason does not bode well. Even the free agent that has been most heavily tied to the Warriors, veteran center Al Horford, will be 39 entering next season.
If Horford were to sign with Golden State, the team would have four starters over the age of 39, making a balance between regular season success and keeping the players rested for a lengthy playoff run a difficult proposition.
To make matters worse, the teams around them in the Western Conference have gotten almost unequivocally better this offseason. While the Oklahoma City Thunder remain juggernauts, the Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers, San Antonio Spurs and Houston Rockets have all improved markedly.
Therefore, the Western side of the playoff bracket next season will be a gauntlet of such extremity that it could be a historically difficult task for any team to push their way through it, let alone a team primarily comprised of veteran players.
If Curry is indeed able to lead his team to another championship, or even a Finals berth, next season, he will have cemented himself as an all-time great, rivalling the greatest playoff runs of all-time.
