A Golden State Warriors standout may be the victim of some rotational shuffling in 2025-26.
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For now, though, the Warriors have a shockingly limited amount of players actually signed to their standard roster.
That's because Golden State is still trying to figure out the future of restricted free agent power forward Jonathan Kuminga, a deal that for now is holding up the Warriors' other anticipated free agent moves.
Warriors in Flux
As of this writing, only seven Warriors players are signed to fully guaranteed deals, but center Trayce Jackson-Davis and combo Gui Santos (their partially guaranteed contracts only become fully guaranteed in January) seem likely to be retained.
Per Marc Stein of The Stein Line, a specific trio of free agents is expected to join up with Golden State following the Kuminga move: former champion Boston Celtics big man Al Horford and guards De'Anthony Melton and Gary Payton II. Guard Seth Curry, little brother to 11-time All-Star Warriors point guard Stephen Curry, and wing Caleb Martin have both also been floated in recent weeks.
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Some of the Warriors' Day 1 starters are already carved in stone, no matter which of those names arrives.
Stephen Curry and fellow future Hall of Famers Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green will absolutely start. But the two spots around that group are at least somewhat in flux. The 6-foot-9 Horford would likely replace the 6-foot-6 Green as a traditionally-sized center.
But Enzo Flojo of ClutchPoints, for one, believes that former starting shooting guard Buddy Hield may be shifted back to the bench.
Flojo cites the continued development of third-year guard Brandin Podziemski and the potential return of Melton — who had emerged as head coach Steve Kerr's chosen backcourt starter last season until he suffered an ACL tear, and was traded to the Brooklyn Nets — as the potential X-factors that could determine Hield's fate.
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Hield is a critical piece on this roster, and will certainly have a big rotation role — whether or not he starts — as one of the best pure shooters in the game. The 6-foot-4 guard connected on 37 percent of his 6.7 triple tries last season, but is a career 39.7 percent shooter on 7.5 long range takes.
"The biggest reason Hield’s starting role is under threat? The rapid ascent of Brandin Podziemski," writes Flojo. "The third-year guard took major strides last season. He evolved from a promising prospect into a legitimate rotation player. He showcased improved shooting range, playmaking ability, and, perhaps most importantly, buy-in on the defensive end."
After a rocky start to his second season, Podziemski stabilized. He finished with averages of 11.7 points on .445/.372/.758 shooting splits, 5.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.1 steals a night.
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