Stephen Curry enters the twilight of his career with challenging prospects ahead as the "Golden State Warriors" receive modest predictions for the upcoming 2025-26 NBA season. Three years have passed since the team's last championship - their seventh in franchise history and fifth since moving to California.
Despite having one of basketball's premier shooters in Stephen Curry and defensive stalwart Draymond Green, analysts project a middle-of-the-pack finish for the Warriors. Bleacher Report's Andy Bailey forecasts a 46-36 record, placing them firmly in the play-in tournament range.
"The (Denver) Nuggets, Los Angeles Clippers, Los Angeles Lakers, and Houston Rockets have all gotten better. The Oklahoma City Thunder isn't going anywhere. Barring some dramatic, unforeseen superstar trade, it's starting to look like Stephen Curry could spend the twilight of his legendary career in the West's play-in range," Bailey wrote.
The Warriors do have pieces that could potentially elevate their standing. Jimmy Butler and Buddy Hield should help distribute the scoring load beyond Curry, while youngsters Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski represent internal development options that might contribute to a resurgence.
Interestingly, FanDuel Sportsbook seems to agree with the modest outlook, setting the Warriors' over/under at 45.5 wins for the season. The team also faces logistical challenges - they'll travel the sixth-most miles (47,027.30) across 51 time zones during 19 road trips, according to Bookies.com's Bill Speros.
Can this blend of aging stars and emerging talent push past these projections and return to Western Conference prominence? The competition certainly isn't making it easy.
