The Golden State Warriors were in the mix for Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James, but in the end, their big offseason addition was... Yaxel Lendeborg? Now four seasons removed from the fourth NBA championship of the Stephen Curry era, the Warriors are facing questions about whether they can be a contender during Curry's final years.
The return of Jimmy Butler III from his torn ACL will certainly help bolster the lineup, but heading into the season, the Warriors seem to be far removed from the title tier among Western Conference teams.
ESPN's staff of experts is looking back at the offseason and taking an early look at the 2026-27 season for all 30 teams, with 30 pieces -- one for every team -- rolling out each weekday through Sept. 18. We're answering the biggest looming questions, evaluating X factors and much more for all 30 teams.
Quick links: Roster | Depth chart | Transactions More Warriors coverage | More NBA
Offseason at a glance Key additions: Yaxel Lendeborg, Brandon Williams, Georges Niang Key subtractions: Quinten Post, Pat Spencer Key retentions: Draymond Green, Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis, Gary Payton II, De'Anthony Melton
The Warriors opted for flexibility and stability over a larger shake-up around Curry. Their much-publicized recruitment of James never gained much traction. They brought back their veteran frontcourt trio (Green, Horford, Porzingis), but kept them all on short-term maneuverable contracts. They opted for the fit of Melton over a pursuit of scoring guard Anfernee Simons. Their big addition is Lendeborg, the 23-year-old rookie wing who they will rely upon to be a high-minute, high-impact rotation player immediately. In the bigger picture, they protected their draft pick cupboard and lined up their books to have an ocean of cap space as they peer a bit deeper into the future while their core ages. -- Anthony Slater
Zach Kram's offseason grade: C+
The new deals for Horford, Melton and Porzingis are all fine on their own, but they don't move the needle for a team stuck in the middle with no clear avenue toward true contention despite Curry still producing at an All-NBA level.
The admittedly injury-ravaged Warriors went 37-45 last season, and they didn't add any non-rookies this summer until the signing of Williams this week. -- Kram
What we learned over the past few months
From Ben Golliver's offseason lessons piece: The Warriors waited to find out if they will boom or bust.