In today’s Dub Hub:
- ESPN predicts the Warriors will be a play-in team for the upcoming 2025-26 NBA season.
- The San Francisco Standard’s Danny Emerman highlights 10 potential free agent fits left over for the Warriors.
- Kings are no longer “actively engaged” in trade talks involving guard Malik Monk, according to NBA insider Marc Stein.
The Western Conference is loaded with contenders this season, and ESPN’s NBA Summer Forecast 2025-26 sees the Golden State Warriors landing right in the middle of that chaos. In their predictions for the Western Conference, Golden State checks in as the No. 7 seed—meaning a spot in the play-in tournament once again.
Via ESPN:
7. Golden State Warriors: 48-34
8. Dallas Mavericks: 44-38
9. San Antonio Spurs: 44-38
10. Memphis Grizzlies: 42-40The West is so crowded with contenders that a couple of them
will inevitably be bumped into this bracket, forced to play an extra game or two with their playoff hopes on the line. That’s particularly dangerous for older teams like the Warriors and Mavericks, who will likely spend the final month of the season in a full-out standings sprint and won’t get the extra week of pre-playoff rest the top teams receive.
In the article, Golden State is projected to finish with a 48–34 record, just behind the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Clippers in the standings and a few games ahead of the Dallas Mavericks, San Antonio Spurs, and Memphis Grizzlies.
ESPN pointed to age and health as the key variables for the Warriors. Their core of Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler—each over 35 years old—saw last season come to an abrupt end due to injuries.
Regardless of that, Golden State closed strong and looked like one of the league’s hottest teams down the stretch. If Curry and company can stay healthy and the team gets meaningful contributions from their new additions, there should be a realistic path to climbing out of the play-in and securing a top-six seed.
For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Wednesday, August 27th:
Warriors News:
NBA Summer Forecast 2025-26: Predictions for East and West conference standings | ESPN
However, two teams still make it out of the play-in. The seventh-seeded Warriors beat the second-seeded Rockets in the first round last April. If Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler III and Draymond Green are healthy, the West’s top two seeds won’t be ecstatic to see the Warriors emerging from the seventh or eighth slot this spring.
The Warriors need to fill their roster. Do these 10 free agents fit? | The San Francisco Standard
In theory, perhaps Simmons doing a Draymond Green impression for five-minute bursts could work. But sharing the court with Jonathan Kuminga, Jimmy Butler, or Green would create a spacing nightmare.
Simmons still has talent and is an elite defender, but he really, really doesn’t want to shoot — don’t get tricked by the annual offseason workout videos — or get to the foul line. That makes his fit anywhere clunky, and Golden State is no exception.
Verdict: Only if you squint really, really hard
Exclusive: The untold story of Stephen Curry’s rise at Davidson under Bob McKillop | ClutchPoints
“He’s got fast-twitch eye muscles. He’s got fast-twitch ear muscles. He sees not just where the ball is — he sees where it’s going to be. He doesn’t see you where his man is, but he sees where his man will be, where his teammates will be. He sees all this in advance.
“Second thing with his ears — he can live in the present tense of hearing what’s going on right now but seeing what will happen in the future in a remarkable capacity.”
The Architects of Forever: Inside the NBA’s Dynasty Makers | Medium
Curry’s genius wasn’t just in his revolutionary shooting; it was in his ability to be a Maker at every stage of his career. The core of Thompson, Green, and Durant for 2 years played an invaluable role in this journey. Even after Durant’s departure and years of injuries, his gravitational pull on the court created opportunities for young players like Jordan Poole and Andrew Wiggins to thrive in complementary roles, allowing the franchise to retool and secure a fourth championship in 2022.
Steph Curry on the Finals MVP discussion: “I’d rather have rings”
NBA News:
Film Study: New additions need to help Nuggets’ defense
The Denver defense was at its worst (116.2 points allowed per 100 possessions) with Westbrook on the floor last season. Their starting lineup allowed 114.4 per 100 in its 426 minutes, but allowed just 105.6 per 100 in 123 minutes with the other four starters on the floor without Porter.
Brown and Johnson should be defensive upgrades. According to Second Spectrum, no player was the “tagger” on more screens last season than Porter. As Johnson takes over that job, his ability to help in the paint and recover out to his man will be worth watching …
Sunday Best: The latest on late-summer NBA contract extensions, trade possibilities and more | The Stein Line
After Sacramento explored various trade scenarios earlier this summer involving Malik Monk, league sources say that the Kings are not actively engaged in such trade talks now.
The Kings have maintained an interest in unsigned free agent Russell Westbrook, sources say, but I’m told that they have indeed explored the possibility of creating a backcourt opening for Westbrook by other means rather than dealing Monk.
Kawhi Leonard joins list of players enjoying their time in China
In case you missed it at Golden State of Mind:
Warriors have called Lakers ‘multiple’ times about potential LeBron James trade
A more likely trade scenario involves the February trade deadline. If the Lakers stumble to start the season and/or tensions emerge between James and Doncic, the Warriors would still have Green, Moody, and Hield, but also expect to have Jonathan Kuminga on a tradeable contract as well.
Follow @unstoppablebaby on Twitter for all the latest news on the Golden State Warriors.
