Stephen Curry watched the Golden State Warriors chase LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Giannis Antetokounmpo this offseason and end up with none of them. They struck out on the biggest prize available and head into the 2026-27 season surrounded by more questions than answers.
For one former NBA champion, Curry’s quest for a fifth title remains a pipe dream.
Kendrick Perkins Delivers Brutal Verdict on Stephen Curry’s Current Warriors Roster
Golden State emerged as the early favorite to land LeBron James after the four-time MVP ended his eight-year run with the Los Angeles Lakers. For weeks, the possibility of pairing James with Curry dominated NBA headlines.
That blockbuster partnership, however, never materialized.
According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, the Warriors wanted James to commit before making additional roster moves. Brian Windhorst framed the standoff from the other direction, noting that any team’s recruitment of James would come down to what it could do before offering him a contract.
As negotiations stalled and the Warriors made only minor additions, the NBA’s all-time leading scorer ultimately joined the Philadelphia 76ers.
Golden State’s biggest offseason moves ended up bringing back Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, De’Anthony Melton, Gary Payton II, and Draymond Green while adding first-round pick Yaxel Lendeborg with the No. 11 overall selection. The Warriors were the only team in the league to go the entire summer without adding a veteran from outside the organization.
For ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins, that simply isn’t enough.
“When you talk about Steph Curry, Steve Kerr, and Draymond Green, every year they step foot on the floor, it’s either championship or bust. It’s no in-between. It’s no middle ground. … And Steph Curry wants to win a championship. Is this a championship roster? Absolutely not. … But again, the Warriors know that it’s time to upgrade. It’s time to move some pieces,” Perkins said on Wednesday’s NBA Today.
“Steph Curry wants to win a championship. Is this a championship roster? Absolutely not.” @KendrickPerkins thinks the Warriors need an upgrade to their roster 😮 pic.twitter.com/cyEIJMajtJ
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) August 5, 2026
Ironically, the Warriors appeared willing to reshape their roster to make room for James. Green even declined his $27.7 million player option to help create additional salary-cap flexibility.
At the same time, Golden State reportedly promised Jimmy Butler that he would not be traded, removing the cleanest salary match for a deal of that size. Washington closed the door anyway. The Wizards were not listening to offers on Anthony Davis and had no interest in Butler’s contract even if the Warriors had been willing to move it.
The Warriors also explored a deal for Jaylen Brown before February’s trade deadline, then passed a second time when Boston called again near the draft. Golden State balked at an asking price in the range of four first-round picks, and the front office couldn’t reach internal consensus that Brown was the right player to carry the roster once Curry’s era ends. The package Boston wanted would have included the No. 11 pick that became Lendeborg.
Now, Brown is teaming up with James in Philadelphia while Golden State is left trying to contend with a roster facing significant health concerns.
Butler is recovering from a torn right ACL and is expected to miss at least the opening months of the season, with some reports suggesting he may not return until early 2027.
Moses Moody is also working his way back from a ruptured left patellar tendon. Although he will reportedly resume running and individual on-court workouts before training camp, no timetable has been established for his return.
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Until reinforcements arrive, the burden will once again fall on the shoulders of the 38-year-old Curry. The Warriors are also counting heavily on former All-Stars Kristaps Porzingis and 40-year-old Al Horford to stay healthy throughout the season, far from a guarantee given their recent injury histories.
Curry has dragged flawed rosters further than they deserved to go for most of a decade. That was at 30. At 38, with Butler rehabbing and two big men in their late 30s and 40s, the margin is gone. Golden State needs a healthy supporting cast and a real addition before February, or Curry spends another season proving he’s still great on a team that can’t do anything with it.
