While the rest of the NBA has been wheeling and dealing during this offseason, the Golden State Warriors have been relatively quiet. 

Apart from trading around players drafted in the second round and some future second-round picks, the Warriors have not been able to shore up their depth after losing Kevon Looney to free agency and seem unable to find some middle ground with Jonathan Kuminga. 

Never mind that Looney would lose minutes when Golden State would go with smaller lineups or seemed to have fallen out of the rotation due in part to Quinten Post; the Warriors were nonetheless at a loss because the 29-year old played the second most games for Golden State in the 2024-2025 regular season (76) and only missed 14 games in the last four seasons. 

Meanwhile, Kuminga’s situation is more complex, as it’s clear he wants more security, while the Warriors prefer to have the flexibility that will protect them from his bouts of inconsistency. But then, the flipside is that Kuminga has shown out when given the opportunity, although many of these chances have come when someone above the pecking order is injured. The timing has clearly not favored Kuminga as he remains an integral piece for Golden State given his body of work. However, he can still be a bridge to the future if the Warriors can firmly place their trust in him. 

Dub Nation must be up in arms seeing their rivals rebuilding and reloading, while a cloud of uncertainty looms over Golden State. Part of it is the FOMO that naturally comes in a competitive Western Conference, where it was once possible to win 50 games and miss the postseason. Another reason is that Warriors Nation knows that Stephen Curry is in the twilight of his career. 

Yes, Curry continues to play at a high level even after spending last summer with Team USA, but Father Time is undefeated. Curry has played in at least 69 games in the last five seasons, including the playoffs. Golden State would obviously want him to play for as long as he can and that would require providing him some help in sharing the load especially on offense.  

Jimmy Butler has been a solid addition, while Buddy Hield has found a niche despite at times playing under the shadow of Klay Thompson. Kuminga returning would be a major boost that gives the Warriors a potent trio that can allow Curry to do his damage from behind the scenes when circumstances call for it. 

However, there needs to be more balance in the lineup, especially with regard to their big men. Golden State is taking somewhat of a risk in relying on the volatile and aging Draymond Green while putting their fortunes on Post and Trayce Jackson-Davis, who need more game reps and good health on their side. Going to their small-ball lineup is an option, but as we saw against the Minnesota Timberwolves, skilled big men can prove to be a tall task for them. 

Maybe the Warriors know something that we don’t. The young guns could surprise by playing their roles to a tee and executing well enough that they and their star teammates will be in a position to succeed. That would mean Stephen Curry flirts with a 50-40-90 season and joins an elite group of players who have spent part of their 40s in the NBA. 

Then again, hope springs eternal during the offseason, but it’s hard to truly be optimistic when the Golden State Warriors are watching their active peers from the sides.