It’s early days in the 2025-26 NBA season, but the Golden State Warriors are already turning heads and sparking big conversations about their championship prospects. After a thrilling overtime victory against the Denver Nuggets on October 23, the Warriors improved to 2-0, and veteran forward Jimmy Butler wasted no time in voicing his confidence about the team’s potential to chase another NBA title. But what, exactly, is fueling this optimism in San Francisco?
For starters, it’s the unique blend of experience and intelligence that defines this year’s Warriors lineup. Butler, now in his 15th NBA season and no stranger to deep postseason runs, was effusive after the Denver win. Sitting in a nearly empty locker room, he reflected on the closing unit—himself, Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Al Horford, and Jonathan Kuminga—that finished the game. Remarkably, this five-man group had never played or practiced together before, yet they found a way to click instantly, improvising their way to victory without relying on set plays.
“Yeah, yeah! By far. By far. The smartest group, and the most ‘I know my role and I’m gonna play that role to the T’ group,” Butler declared when asked if this was the most intelligent lineup he’d ever been a part of. “Ahhh, it’s amazing, it’s amazing. Everybody knows where the ball has to go, what you’re supposed to do when you do get the ball, who to give it to at every second of the game. That’s why we’re going to win a championship.” According to Butler, “It’s never too early to talk about what we intend to do. But we got 80 more of these regular-season games, and Steph got an All-Star Game to play in.”
Butler’s confidence is contagious, and it’s not hard to see why. The Warriors’ current roster is a fascinating mix of grizzled veterans and emerging talent. Key contributors like Horford (39), Curry (37), Butler (36), and Green (35) are all on the far side of 30, an age rarely associated with NBA title favorites in today’s hyper-athletic league. Yet, as history has shown, sometimes experience and savvy can trump raw athleticism. Curry, for example, has only 27 career dunks—compare that to Russell Westbrook’s 652—and yet he remains one of the game’s most dangerous players, thanks to his basketball IQ and shooting prowess.
Head coach Steve Kerr, who led the Warriors to surprise championships in 2015 and 2022, is once again being praised for his willingness to adapt and trust his players’ instincts. Against Denver, Kerr made the crucial decision to insert Horford late in the fourth quarter instead of Brandin Podziemski, a move that paid off as the team thrived in an unscripted, improvisational style. “The game called for us to kind of abandon any fancy play calls and just get to spots where we could try to pick ’em apart,” Curry explained after the game.
This approach—relying on high basketball IQ and chemistry rather than rigid playbooks—has become a hallmark of the Warriors’ identity. And it’s not just the veterans who are buying in. Jonathan Kuminga, the youngest member of that closing lineup, looked right at home alongside his All-Star teammates, a development that bodes well for his growth and the team’s future. There’s even speculation that Kuminga’s rapid improvement is tied to his mentorship under Butler, who summed it up simply: “Basketball is very, very, very simple.”
But if the Warriors are going to make another deep playoff run, they know they’ll need an injection of youth and energy to complement their aging core. That’s where Moses Moody enters the conversation. The fifth-year wing, who missed the season opener with a calf injury, made his return on October 24 against the Portland Trail Blazers. While Moody’s shot was off—he finished with seven points on 1-for-6 shooting in 21 minutes—his presence was felt on both ends of the floor, and the Warriors are optimistic about his role moving forward.
Moody’s case for a starting spot is compelling. Last season, he started 34 games and averaged 11.0 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.1 steals, while shooting an impressive 39.4% from beyond the arc. Those numbers suggest he could fill the void left by Andrew Wiggins, the versatile forward who played a pivotal role in Golden State’s 2022 NBA Finals triumph. In that series, Wiggins averaged 18.3 points, 8.8 rebounds, 1.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks, earning recognition as the Warriors’ second-best player behind Curry. Moody may not be a carbon copy of Wiggins, but his three-and-D skillset and ability to space the floor make him an intriguing option for Kerr as the season progresses.
“Moses Moody had the inside track on a starting job before a calf injury knocked him out just a few days prior to the season opener,” wrote Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes. “It’s hard to argue anything about Moody’s role is certain, but the Warriors don’t really have another three-and-D option with his size. Think of him as slotting into the space formerly occupied by Andrew Wiggins, hopefully with more consistency.”
The Warriors’ front office and coaching staff have recognized Moody’s positive impact as a starter, particularly during the tail end of last season. With the team’s core growing older, Moody’s youth and defensive versatility could prove vital in maintaining the Warriors’ trademark blend of offense and defense. There’s a sense around the organization that, if Moody can stay healthy and find his rhythm, he could surpass Wiggins’ contributions in some areas—especially in three-point shooting efficiency.
Of course, nothing is guaranteed in the NBA, and the Warriors’ path to another championship remains filled with obstacles. The Western Conference is stacked with talented, athletic teams, and questions about Golden State’s durability and ability to keep pace with younger opponents will persist throughout the season. Still, the Warriors have a history of defying expectations, whether it was their undersized 2015 title squad, their post-Durant resurgence in 2022, or their current quest to win with a roster that some have called “over the hill.”
As the season unfolds, all eyes will be on Kerr’s lineup decisions, Butler’s leadership, Curry’s ageless shooting, and the development of players like Kuminga and Moody. The Warriors are betting that a combination of high basketball IQ, veteran savvy, and timely contributions from their younger players will be enough to keep them in the hunt for another banner. For now, the conversation in the Bay Area is buzzing, and the Warriors’ quest for another improbable title is very much alive.
