As close as the Western Conference has been in the NBA, the 2025-26 season may yet be its most competitive season. Teams like the Denver Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers and Houston Rockets all have a legitimate championship window. Leading the odds are the the Golden State Warriors, with Stephen Curry at the center of their plans. Former NBA champion Jeff Teague, however, believes one key trait will prevent the Warriors from reaching the NBA mountaintop.
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After the Warriors acquired Jimmy Butler at the trade deadline, they were one of the best teams in the league. They finished the season with a 23-7 record with the six-time All-Star. Finally, adding another star alongside Stephen Curry proved to make a big difference.
Unfortunately, the Warriors couldn’t see this team’s true potential in the playoffs. Curry suffered a hamstring injury, which forced him to the sidelines for nearly the entire second round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves. And he’s not the only one on the squad who will be risking yet another injury.
Injuries are the biggest concern with this roster, especially considering their age. Curry is 37 years old, while Draymond Green and Butler are both 35. Despite Golden State’s aging core, Curry is extremely confident in their chances.
“I think what we did last year… the last third of the season after the trade deadline, when we were top three in the league in offense, defense, all the metrics that show we were a really good team,” Curry said in an interview with ABC7 News Bay Area.
“Obviously, we have to stay healthy, get through the regular season at a high level. But I like the identity that we have and the foundation of knowing how to play together toward the end of last season that we can hopefully translate into this year,” he added.
None of Curry’s comments come from a place of blind optimism. The Warriors have shown that if healthy, they are capable of going toe-to-toe with the best. Jeff Teague remains confident in what to expect from Curry and Butler. It’s after those three that things become uncertain.
“Steph Curry is still one of the greatest. I think he will still be able to lead a team and take over. I think Jimmy still has that mode, too. But after that, things kind of get spooky,” Teague said on the Club 520 Podcast.
The one-time All-Star won’t go as far as to say there’s no light at the end of the tunnel. If the Warriors really want to contend, they need to make one more key roster addition.
“I think they’ve got to get a big to go with that small-ball lineup,” Teague proclaimed. “I’m a fan of Draymond, but I don’t think it could hold up anymore. He can’t guard Jokic and all them dudes for a long period of time anymore.”
Teams have evolved from the small-ball era; the Oklahoma City Thunder are the perfect example. They play two bigs in Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein, who are versatile players that wreak havoc on both sides of the court.
This has become the new meta, and this time around, the Warriors may be the team that needs to conform. It seems Golden State isn’t in a rush to make any changes soon, but if they get off to a slow start, they may need to heed Teague’s advice.
