NBA 2025 Season Preview – Golden State Warriors: The Final Push Under the Twilight of a Dynasty
As October arrives, the Golden State Warriors are preparing to open the new NBA season against the Los Angeles Lakers. Once the league’s dominant dynasty, the Warriors now stand at a crossroads. This year, they will look to optimize the distribution of their core players’ minutes in a final push to maximize their title hopes — and to make the most of Stephen Curry’s remaining championship window.
A Billion-Dollar Gamble: Completing the Puzzle
According to the Warriors’ official roster release, the team’s main core remains built around Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green. Curry leads the NBA with an annual salary of $59.6 million, followed closely by Butler at $54.1 million, with the two stars accounting for 42% of the team’s total payroll.
In terms of new additions, the Warriors recently secured Al Horford, De’Anthony Melton, and Gary Payton II. Horford’s arrival fills a long-standing void in the frontcourt; even at 39, the veteran center remains capable of holding his own against elite big men. Head coach Steve Kerr has praised him as a “tactical lubricant” who smooths out the Warriors’ system. Melton and Payton II, meanwhile, will fortify the team’s perimeter defense — both ranking among the NBA’s top 20 in defensive efficiency in recent seasons.
Among the younger players, Jonathan Kuminga is expected to stay as the team’s 14th man after receiving a three-year, $75.2 million offer. Moses Moody and Brandin Podziemski have secured spots in the playoff rotation, while rookie Will Richard has signed a four-year deal as a key developmental prospect for the future.
Dual-Core Balance and Rotation Revolution
After the Warriors’ playoff shortcomings last season, Kerr spent the summer reworking the team’s tactical framework. The focus this year will be on balancing the offensive responsibilities between Curry and Butler.
Last season, the Warriors posted an offensive rating of 118.7 with Butler on the floor — but that number plummeted to 89.3 when he sat. Meanwhile, Curry’s off-ball movement remains the backbone of Golden State’s motion offense. As a result, the Warriors are expected to adopt a dual-core rotation: Butler will handle the ball during the first and fourth quarters, leading late-game attacks, while Curry will dominate the second and third quarters, using screens and cuts to generate open threes.
Having learned from last year’s overreliance on Butler, Kerr plans to strictly manage minutes this season. Analysts project that both Curry and Butler will average fewer than 32 minutes per game in the regular season, giving the second unit more opportunities to lead key stretches. The Warriors are also set to deploy a designated “defensive squad,” anchored by Melton and Payton II, designed to counter the West’s explosive guard-heavy offenses.
Health and Heavy Competition: The Double Challenge
For Golden State, staying healthy will determine whether this aging core can chase one last championship.
According to U.S. media reports, the Warriors’ training staff has introduced specialized muscle recovery programs for players aged 35 and older, with close monitoring of Curry’s ankles and Butler’s knees. The front office has even petitioned the league to reduce back-to-back games, though the team still faces 13 consecutive road games this season — a brutal stretch for its veteran roster.
Data simulations suggest that if Curry and Butler maintain 90% or higher availability, the Warriors have a 62% chance of finishing in the West’s top three. But if either misses more than 20 games, the risk of falling into the Play-In Tournament rises to 78%.
The Western Conference race for the top six is already shaping into a grueling battlefield. Kerr’s staff has implemented a “tiered focus” strategy — going all-in with a healthy lineup against elite rivals like the Nuggets, Lakers, and Thunder, while using games against weaker teams to rotate and preserve the stars’ health. Whether this flexible approach works will be put to the test on October 22, when the Warriors face the Lakers in their season opener.
