The Golden State Warriors have added depth. They have not answered the larger question hanging over Stephen Curry’s next season: Who helps him get this team back into contention?
ESPN’s insiders expect a significant move before February’s trade deadline.
In ESPN’s summer forecast, Golden State ranked first when panelists were asked which team was most likely to make a big move. The Warriors received nine points, comfortably ahead of Detroit’s four. Boston and Houston followed with three apiece.
That is a prediction, not a report of active negotiations. But the reasoning reflects Golden State’s predicament: Curry turns 39 in March, the roster has significant injury concerns, and another quiet season would consume time the franchise cannot recover.
Warriors’ Wing Injuries Increase Pressure on Yaxel Lendeborg
Getty Yaxel Lendeborg of the Golden State Warriors holds up the 026 NBA Las Vegas Summer League MVP trophy and championship ring after his team’s victory over the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2026 NBA Summer League championship game at the Thomas & Mack Center on July 19, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Warriors defeated the Grizzlies 94-90.
Golden State is coming off what ESPN described as its second losing season in 14 years. Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James went elsewhere, leaving the Warriors without a transformative offseason addition.
The signings of Brandon Williams and Georges Niang provided reinforcements. Neither resolves the uncertainty surrounding a wing rotation missing two important pieces.
Jimmy Butler is recovering from a torn ACL. Moses Moody is rehabilitating a ruptured left patellar tendon. Their extended recoveries leave Golden State entering the season without its intended complement of experienced perimeter players.
That creates an immediate opportunity — and considerable responsibility — for rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, the No. 11 pick.
Lendeborg will have room to establish himself. The Warriors, however, have little room for prolonged growing pains if they intend to remain competitive while Butler and Moody recover.
Expecting one rookie to replace Butler’s shot creation and Moody’s two-way contributions would be unreasonable. Golden State needs reliable minutes from multiple players, making wing depth a practical concern rather than simply a wish-list item.
The early schedule should reveal how much the remaining rotation can absorb. It also could determine whether Dunleavy can afford to wait until the deadline.
ESPN Identifies Butler and Porzingis Trade Possibilities
Getty Jimmy Butler III of the Golden State Warriors is looked at by teammates and trainers after he collided with Davion Mitchell #45 of the Miami Heat and injured his knee during the third quarter at Chase Center on January 19, 2026 in San Francisco, California.
ESPN’s Ben Golliver outlined two potential routes for Warriors executive Mike Dunleavy Jr.
“They could try to flip Butler’s expiring contract and assets for a star or construct a more modest deal around Kristaps Porzingis,” Golliver wrote.
Neither scenario included a named target or an indication that Golden State was shopping either player. Butler’s recovery also adds uncertainty to any discussion of his potential trade value.
The Warriors have changed course successfully before. Their midseason acquisition of Butler two seasons ago helped fuel a run to the second round, demonstrating how dramatically one transaction can alter a stagnant season.
Repeating that result requires more than a willingness to deal. Golden State needs an available player who addresses its weaknesses, a workable price and enough talent left afterward to support Curry.
“This much is clear: It will likely be another frustrating campaign if Warriors executive Mike Dunleavy Jr. doesn’t do something of consequence,” Golliver wrote.
For now, Lendeborg and the healthy veterans must keep the Warriors competitive enough for a February addition to matter.
The trade forecast offers a possible answer. Until an actual deal materializes, Curry and a depleted supporting cast still have to get through the games.
Warriors Get Major Trade Prediction as Stephen Curry Clock Ticks