Published for Warriors fans — October 2026
By Toxlay Sports Editorial Team · Last updated October 19, 2026
The Club
The Golden State Warriors are the modern dynasty. Founded in 1946 and based in San Francisco, the Warriors play at Chase Center in royal blue and gold, and they own seven NBA championships — 1947, 1956, 1975, and the dynasty run of 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2022. This is the franchise of Stephen Curry, the three-point revolution, and “Basketball Lives Here.” Last season was the first in a long time that the Warriors looked ordinary. The question now: was it a blip — or the end of an era?
Last Season (2025-26): The Injury Spiral
The record says 37-45 — 10th in the West, eliminated in the play-in tournament. But the record doesn’t tell the story. On January 19, the Warriors were 25-19 with a top-five defense. Then Jimmy Butler tore his ACL against Miami — season over — and the season collapsed: 12-26 the rest of the way. Stephen Curry missed stretches with a persistent knee issue, Moses Moody ruptured his patellar tendon in late March, and a team built for a last dance limped into the play-in and out. The front office went big at the deadline — Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to Atlanta for Kristaps Porzingis — and even tried to pry Giannis Antetokounmpo from Milwaukee with Butler in the offer. It didn’t happen. Then the summer’s big swing — LeBron James — ended with him signing in Philadelphia. So the Warriors mostly ran it back. On purpose.
Best Players Right Now (2026-27 Roster)
Stephen Curry, 38, Guard (#30) — Still the engine. Averaged 26.3 points and 5.2 threes a night last season at 38, and signed a two-year, $116 million extension that keeps him in the Bay through 2028-29 — a 20th season, all with one franchise. Everything still runs through him.
Jimmy Butler, 37, Forward (#10) — The missing piece. Played 38 games (20.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists) before the ACL tear. He won’t be available to open the season — the target is January or February — and the Warriors are betting he comes back as the closer he was.
Draymond Green, 36, Forward (#23) — The defensive anchor. Re-signed for one year and $27.7 million to keep the core’s heartbeat in place for one more run.
Kristaps Porzingis, 31, Center — The deadline prize. Arrived from Atlanta, played 15 games (16.1 ppg), and re-signed for two years and $40 million. Currently out indefinitely with an unspecified health issue — the season’s biggest wild card.
Al Horford, 40, Center — The veteran big. Back in the Bay for another season; started in the preseason finale and gives Kerr a steady two-way center.
Brandin Podziemski, 23, Guard — The young riser. Started all preseason; the fantasy darling and the guard of the future who has to deliver right now.
De’Anthony Melton, 28, Guard — Re-signed for two years and $12.4 million. Backcourt defense and toughness; the Warriors kept him over chasing Anfernee Simons.
Moses Moody, 24, Guard-Forward — The cruelest injury. Was breaking out before the ruptured patellar tendon in late March. Considered ahead of Butler in rehab — back in December or January, possibly.
Gary Payton II, 33, Guard — Seventh season in the Bay. Re-signed for the minimum ($3.9M); one of the league’s best cutters and rim finishers at his size.
Georges Niang, 33, Forward — The biggest outside addition. Veteran shooting and size off the bench.
Yaxel Lendeborg, rookie Forward — The 2026 first-round pick (No. 11). Started preseason games for Kerr — the two-timeline future getting a real look.
Charles Bassey, 25, Center — Re-signed on a minimum deal; frontcourt depth and rim pressure.
Head coach: Steve Kerr — Still the man in charge. His mission this year: keep the team above water for the first half, then finish strong when the roster gets healthier.
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Star Spotlight: Stories You Should Know
The night the season broke. January 2026, against Miami: Jimmy Butler plants, crumples, and doesn’t get up — a torn right ACL, season over. Golden State was 25-19 with the league’s fourth-best defense at the time. They went 12-26 without him. “But Jimmy goes down, and instantly you just know deep down your championship aspirations are gone,” Kerr said. Then Curry’s knee cost him stretches, and Moody’s tendon snapped in March. The whole season was a “what if” — and this season is the answer.
Curry’s legacy keeps growing. In January, against Minnesota, Curry passed John Havlicek for 20th on the NBA’s all-time scoring list — 26,397 points, tied with Paul Pierce. He matched Michael Jordan’s record for 40-point games after age 30. Then came the extension: two years, $116 million, through 2028-29 — which would make him one of four players ever to spend 20 seasons with one franchise (with Dirk Nowitzki, Kobe Bryant and Udonis Haslem). The greatest shooter ever isn’t done yet.
The deadline that almost changed everything. At the 2026 trade deadline, the Warriors sent Jonathan Kuminga and Buddy Hield to Atlanta for Kristaps Porzingis — the win-now swing. But the bigger story nearly happened: the front office was prepared to part with Butler if Milwaukee had accepted its offer for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Milwaukee said no; Giannis went to Miami in July. Then the LeBron pursuit ended in Philadelphia. So the plan became the bravest one in sports: bet on health. Curry, Butler and Porzingis have never shared the floor for a full season together. The Warriors are betting that changes now.
This Season (2026-27): The Last Dance (Again)
Vegas set the win total at 40.5 — real skepticism after 37-45 — with title odds around +6600. The formula is simple and terrifying: survive the first half without Butler (January/February), Moody (December/January) and Porzingis (indefinitely), then get whole and make a run. The preseason offered hope: 4-2, including two wins over the Lakers and a 128-118 win over Portland in the finale. Kerr wants the five-out attack to hum — the Warriors led the league in three-point attempts last year — and the defense to return to its January form. If Curry gets his co-stars back and stays healthy himself, this is a playoff team. If not, the era ends with a whimper. Everything is on the table.
Mark Your Calendar: Upcoming Games to Watch
Wondering when the Warriors play? The Warriors schedule opens with a brutal road swing — grab your Warriors tickets early for these:
- October 21 — at Los Angeles Lakers (opener, 10:00 PM ET, ESPN): Season opener at Crypto.com Arena. The NBA’s oldest rivalry opens the year — and the Warriors won there 119-109 on opening night last season too.
- October 23 — vs Memphis Grizzlies (home opener, Chase Center, 10:00 PM ET): The home crowd’s first look at the new-look Warriors. Expect a full house.
- October 24 — at Phoenix Suns (10:00 PM ET, NBA TV): Back-to-back nights in the desert. The Suns always bring it against Golden State.
- October 26 — at Denver Nuggets (10:00 PM ET): Mile High. The 2023 champs, the two-time MVP — an early measuring stick for where the Warriors stand.
- October 30 — vs Los Angeles Lakers (home, 10:00 PM ET): The rematch at Chase Center, nine days after the opener. Curry vs. the Lake Show, Bay Area edition.
Biggest Rivalries — The Wars
1. Los Angeles Lakers — THE California war. The league’s glamor rivalry: Curry vs. LeBron’s old house, now Luka and Reaves’ house. They meet twice in the first ten days — October 21 in LA, October 30 in San Francisco.
2. LA Clippers — The hallway fight. Two LA teams, one city, and a preseason loss to the Clippers to avenge. November 2 at Chase Center is circled.
3. Phoenix Suns — The desert war. The KD years, the desert playoff battles, and now October 24 and November 3. Always heated, always personal.
4. Denver Nuggets — The mountain to climb. The 2023 champions ended Golden State’s contention window talk more than once. October 26 at Ball Arena is the early test.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where did Ja Morant go?
On June 29, 2026, Morant was traded to the Portland Trail Blazers for Jerami Grant and Kris Murray. He faces Memphis for the first time on October 29 at Moda Center.
When the Grizzlies play the Trail Blazers in 2026-27?
October 29 in Portland — Ja Morant's first game against Memphis in a Blazers jersey. Appointment television.
Who are the best Grizzlies players right now?
No. 3 pick Cameron Boozer, 7-foot-4 center Zach Edey, and projected starting point guard Ty Jerome.
What is the Grizzlies' greatest moment?
The 2011 upset: as an 8-seed, Memphis stunned the 1-seed San Antonio Spurs 4-2 — Zach Randolph's 31 points in Game 6 is franchise folklore.
Show Your Colors
Basketball Lives Here — at Chase Center or watching from home, true fans wear it. Gear up with quality fan sportswear — jerseys, tees and athletic wear built for real supporters:
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Sources & official links: Memphis Grizzlies official site · Memphis Grizzlies tickets
Strength in Numbers — the dynasty gets one more dance.
