Stephen Curry Keeps Close Watch on Draymond Green After Taking Strong Warriors Stance

ESPN predicts the Warriors will finish the 2025-26 season 48-34, the same as last year, landing the No. 7 seed in the West and back in the NBA play-in. That comes with the core—Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler—all healthy and ready to roll. But here’s the kicker: Curry is 37, turning 38 in March, Butler will be 36 by opening night, and Draymond is 35. An average age of 37? That’s going to be tested early in a grind-it-out season. Still, Curry is confident this “aging roster” can hang with anyone and make some noise in the postseason.

As the 2025-26 NBA season looms, the Warriors enter with sky-high expectations. This offseason has been rather quiet. Kevon Looney is gone, and Jonathan Kuminga rejected a two-year, $45M deal, sticking with his $7.9M qualifying offer and set to become a free agent in 2026. Golden State hasn’t made a single move yet, raising plenty of eyebrows. But don’t get it twisted, the silence isn’t weakness. If you ask Draymond Green, the championship window is still wide open.

“We about six weeks out…right…where I need to be baby…we getting that b____ this year,” Draymond Green declared, locked in during a training session with Jimmy Butler and trainer Yassine Gharram, in a video posted on Butler’s Instagram. One pair of eyes was watching closely: Stephen Curry, who simply dropped two emojis under the clip—“👀🙌🏽”—sending a clear message.

After Jimmy Butler joined Golden State in that blockbuster trade last February, the Warriors stormed to a 23-7 finish to close out the season. Their defense jumped from ninth to first, powered by the lockdown duo of Draymond Green and Butler. Green believes this core can recapture that 2015-level magic.

However, ESPN’s Anthony Slater believes the Warriors wouldn’t feel the pinch if their younger core stepped up—and he’s got a point. “They’ll need a notable leap from the younger layer of their roster this season to maintain firm playoff positioning while giving their veterans time off,” Slater said. Outside the star trio, only Gary Payton II and Buddy Hield are over 30, meaning Brandin Podziemski, Moses Moody, and Jonathan Kuminga could lead the offensive charge.

Sure, Kuminga’s future in Golden State is uncertain, but an increased role could convince him to stay and solve two problems at once. Still, with the trio shooting just 35% from three and 44.4% overall last season, they need to buckle up this offseason.

However, another potential change to the Warriors’ roster could come down to size, as Steve Kerr’s small-ball philosophy might be hurting their chances. Former NBA guard Jeff Teague broke down their struggles, saying, “I think they got to get a big, with that small ball lineup. I’m a fan of Draymond, but I just don’t think that’s going to hold up no more. He can’t guard [Nikola] Jokic and all them dudes for a long period of time.”

For context, Draymond Green has long been the prototypical power forward, but after the Warriors’ 2022 championship, he’s spent more time at center, especially after Kevon Looney lost his starting role. That’s why alternatives like Nikola Vučević—who averaged 18.5 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 3.5 assists while shooting over 40% from three last season—or even Al Horford keep surfacing as potential frontcourt solutions. However, Curry still believes this core has what it takes to contend for a title.

Stephen Curry confident in team’s championship chances

When asked by ABC7 News Bay Area if three guys over 35 can really contend for a championship, Steph Curry didn’t hesitate. “We’re going to find out. I think we can. There’s a level of know-how,” he said, pointing to the team’s late-season surge last year as proof. After the trade deadline, the Warriors ranked among the top three in the league in both offense and defense, showing that experience and basketball IQ can still carry the day, if everyone stays healthy and consistent through the grind of the regular season.

Curry’s optimism isn’t just talk. Despite roster changes, the Warriors snagged their second straight play-in berth and stunned the No. 2 seed Houston Rockets in a seven-game series. Curry averaged 24.5 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 6.0 assists across 70 games, earning his eleventh All-Star nod, proving that even whispers about a declining “aging core” didn’t match reality.

“It all comes down to health,” he told NBC Sports Bay Area & California, and that truth was evident in the second round against the Minnesota Timberwolves. The Warriors looked poised to make noise before Curry suffered a Grade 1 left hamstring strain in Game 1. Without him, Golden State lost all four games, including Games 3 and 4 at Chase Center, ultimately falling 121-110 in Game 5 to end their playoff run.

Looking ahead, Curry believes the foundation is solid. “We’re gonna find out. I think we can. I like the identity that we have… Obviously, we have to stay healthy… That’s the beautiful challenge of this game,” he said.

With Jimmy Butler fitting in well after the trade deadline, the Warriors got a huge boost from breakout star Jonathan Kuminga, who scored at least 18 points in every game without Curry. But amid Kuminga’s contract standoff, Golden State is reportedly targeting veteran Al Horford, who averaged 9.0 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 2024-25 while shooting 42.3% from the field and 36.3% from three. If he joins, the Warriors could have just the depth and championship experience Curry & Co. need to make another serious run next season.