The Golden State Warriors enter the 2025–26 season in unfamiliar territory. The dynasty that once reshaped the modern game has evolved into something different—older, wiser, yet still dangerous. Where speed and youth once carried them, the new projected starting five is built on veteran savvy, experience, and an unwavering desire to prove that this story is not over.
If the reports and commitments hold, the Warriors could open the season with a lineup that reads like both a celebration of the past and a gamble on the present: Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, Buddy Hield, Draymond Green, and Al Horford. At first glance, it is an unconventional mix. Look closer, and it becomes clear why Golden State is willing to roll the dice on this group.
Stephen Curry: The Eternal Engine
Curry is now 37 years old, entering his 17th NBA season, and yet the idea of him slowing down feels almost absurd. His ability to bend defenses has not diminished. The moment he crosses half court, defenders panic, and that gravitational pull creates space everywhere else. Curry’s three-point shooting remains the central weapon, but what has quietly grown over the years is his leadership. No longer required to score 50 on a random night to prove his value, he orchestrates with precision, punishes mistakes, and gives Golden State its identity.
Jimmy Butler: Grit Meets Finesse
Perhaps the biggest shift in this lineup is the arrival of Jimmy Butler. Known as “Playoff Jimmy,” he embodies toughness, resilience, and the ability to seize moments when the lights are brightest. In Miami, Butler carried the Heat through improbable runs. In Golden State, his role would be different but no less crucial. He balances Curry’s finesse with grit, offering a closer who can get buckets in isolation, draw fouls, and guard the league’s toughest wings. For years, critics claimed the Warriors lacked a true two-way wing after Kevin Durant’s departure. Butler is the answer to that critique.
Buddy Hield: The Floor Spacer
For all of Curry’s brilliance, he cannot do it alone. Enter Buddy Hield, one of the most reliable shooters in the NBA. Hield thrives when defenses are stretched thin, and alongside Curry, the floor will be wider than ever. Leave him open, and he punishes you. Chase him off the line, and he moves the ball quickly within the Warriors’ motion offense. In a lineup heavy with veterans, his role is crystal clear: space the floor, keep the defense honest, and give Golden State another weapon from deep.
Draymond Green: The Voice and the Glue
Draymond has been the soul of the Warriors for over a decade, and even now, that role has not changed. He remains the defensive quarterback, the emotional leader, and the connective tissue that keeps Golden State functioning. At 35, he no longer has the same speed, but his basketball IQ and communication are irreplaceable. Every defensive rotation, every offensive read, runs smoother when Green is on the floor. The Warriors’ culture was built in part on his fire, and this version of the team still leans heavily on it.
Al Horford: Wisdom at the Five
At 39, Horford’s inclusion in the starting lineup may raise eyebrows, but his value cannot be measured only in box scores. He brings leadership, experience, and stability. Horford can still stretch the floor as a three-point threat, protect the rim in spurts, and provide calm in chaotic moments. Surrounded by shooters and playmakers, he does not need to dominate. He simply needs to steady the team, anchor possessions, and pass along the wisdom of his long career.
The Strengths of This Lineup
On paper, this is one of the most offensively balanced lineups Golden State has fielded in years. Curry and Hield stretch the floor to its breaking point. Butler provides the grit and shot creation the team has lacked. Green organizes both ends of the court, while Horford adds spacing and experience from the center position.
Defensively, the combination of Butler, Green, and Horford provides intelligence and toughness. Add in bench defenders like Gary Payton II and De’Anthony Melton, and the Warriors can still switch, pressure the ball, and grind down opponents in key stretches.
The Questions That Linger
Age is the unavoidable shadow looming over this team. Curry, Butler, Draymond, and Horford are all 35 or older. The NBA season is long, grueling, and unforgiving. Injuries could derail everything. Minutes will need to be carefully managed, and the coaching staff must strike a delicate balance between keeping players fresh and building chemistry.
Another question is speed. The Warriors once revolutionized the game by running opponents off the floor. This version may rely more on half-court execution, ball movement, and precision. That is not necessarily a weakness, but it does mean the team must embrace a new identity.
Record Prediction and Outlook
If healthy, this lineup has enough firepower and leadership to compete with anyone in the Western Conference. A realistic expectation would place the Warriors in the 48–52 win range, which should secure them a spot in the top five of the West. Their ceiling remains high because of Curry’s brilliance and Butler’s toughness, but their floor is lower than past years due to age and health risks.
In the playoffs, this is not a team anyone will want to face. Experience matters. Championship DNA matters. When games slow down and execution decides outcomes, a group led by Curry, Butler, Green, and Horford can go toe-to-toe with anyone.
Conclusion: The Next Chapter
The Golden State Warriors are no longer the youthful juggernaut that rewrote basketball. They are a battle-tested group of veterans, stitched together by a shared determination to prove that time has not fully closed their window. With Curry still leading, Butler bringing fight, Hield stretching defenses, Green commanding the floor, and Horford grounding the lineup, this version of the Warriors may not look like the past. But they still have the heart, intelligence, and hunger to remind the league that Golden State remains a force.
The dynasty has evolved. And this next chapter could be as fascinating as any that came before.
