The Golden State Warriors are at a crossroads. After multiple championships with the Stephen Curry-led dynasty, the window for their championship contention is narrow. The team has great talent, but much of its roster is filled with aging veterans, leaving questions about how far they can go. Curry’s final prime years aren’t being maximized by Golden State’s current roster construction, and experts warn that without a bold move, the Warriors’ championship window could slam shut sooner than expected. Positional gaps and shaky depth have left their stars exposed to heavier workloads and greater risk– a dangerous mix for a team trying to squeeze out one more run while time isn’t on their side.

Zach Lowe, on the Bill Simmons Podcast, emphasized that Curry remains potent, even at his advanced age, telling Simmons to, “put a little respect on [Curry’s] name.” He also added, “I have already said the window is closed in my opinion on this iteration of the Steph Warriors winning the title… I don’t see a roadmap for them to get back to prominence that does not include a lightning strike trade or free agency signing, which, of course, is possible, but I think they’re in a more precarious position as a franchise than perhaps anyone but their diehardiest diehards realize right now.”

While Stephen Curry’s ability and leadership remain the engine of the franchise, Lowe put a lot of stock in the idea that the Warriors absolutely need to make changes. Bill Simmons added onto what Lowe said, stating, “It took them seven games to beat that flawed Houston team… old guys get banged up as the season goes along.” He also added, “We went through this with LeBron for the entire 2020s. I’m betting on youth every time.” Simmons suggests that Stephen Curry is being forced into overdrive, and this is bottlenecking Golden State’s ceiling in the postseason.

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The “flawed Houston team” Simmons referred to was the Rockets in the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs. Despite Houston being widely considered one of the weaker playoff teams that year, the Warriors were pushed to a full seven-game series, only securing a decisive 103–89 victory in Game 7. That game saw Buddy Hield step up in a major way, scoring 33 points on a record-setting nine three-pointers, while Curry added 22 points, including 14 in the fourth quarter, to carry Golden State over the finish line. The point is, teams with older stars can still win, like LeBron won his 4th championship in 2020 with the Lakers. But that was his last one till now.

But, making this issue worse, the Golden State has yet to make any major moves this offseason and has not addressed any of the shortcomings that their team faced last season. Their frontcourt rotation has often struggled with integrating size, which would help their rebounding and rim protection in key moments. While Draymond Green is still an elite defender, he cannot cover up all the defensive gaps in the Warriors’ system. Adding a reliable, defensive-minded wing and a strong interior presence would help Steve Kerr deploy his preferred small-ball lineups without sacrificing defense or stability on the glass, and take the pressure off their superstar.

Financial considerations also play a role in the Golden State. Jonathan Kuminga’s extended restricted free agency has stalled any possible moves for them until at least October 1st, which is the deadline to accept his qualifying offer. Kuminga seeks a player option in his contract, wanting control, while the team has refused to budge to his demands. Their wait has already cost them free agents like Malcolm Brogdon, who reportedly grew tired of waiting and signed with the Knicks instead.

Golden State Weighs Jonathan Kuminga’s Value as Deadline Approaches

Golden State‘s critical deadline for Kuminga’s signing requires them to agree to his demands or risk not being able to trade him and losing him for nothing next offseason. League sources have already indicated that the Warriors are looking to bring in several pieces, including Al Horford, De’Anthony Melton, Gary Payton II, and Seth Curry, alongside their second-round pick Will Richard. However, there are several potential suitors who have approached Golden State with trade offers, one of which might give them much-needed bench scoring.

One well-discussed mock trade would send Jonathan Kuminga to the Sacramento Kings in exchange for Devin Carter, Malik Monk, and a 2030 top-5 protected first rounder. The package gives the Warriors a defensive-minded guard, one of the leaders in the Sixth Man of the Year award race, as well as a potential first-round pick. The Kings would receive Kuminga, relieving Golden State of their headache while giving Sacramento a high-upside player.

While the Warriors have prioritized keeping Kuminga, they face a logjam at his position, already employing Jimmy Butler. Kuminga has already had a hampered development due to his coming off the bench, but some teams still see him as a potential star. For Golden State, it might be worth selling high on Kuminga while they still can.