The Warriors can enter the 2026-27 NBA season with the same starting lineup as they closed last season. Should they? Some spots already are set in stone. At least two others might be more in pencil than pen going into training camp at BYU-Hawaii and throughout the preseason.
Steph Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Gui Santos, Draymond Green and Kristaps Porziis rounded out the Warriors’ first five on the floor in a season that included 43 different starting lineups. Those five gave a bit of everything to beat the Los Angeles Clippers in the NBA play-in tournament to keep their playoff hopes alive. Curry scored 35 points with seven threes, Green’s defense down the stretch was as good as it gets, Porziis and Santos both scored 20 points, and Podziemski added 17.
But two days later in Phoenix, the Warriors fell short of the playoffs for the fourth time in the last seven seasons.
A tired squad saw Curry struggle to find his shot, scoring an inefficient 17 points. Green had as many turnovers (five) as points and was called for one more foul, including an ejection. Instead of each scoring 20 points, Porziis (11) and Santos...