Stephen Curry’s Warriors Take Major Offseason Leap Despite Front Office Struggles

In late July, as Golden State’s front office meetings stretched into the night, the franchise’s future hung on a single question: would Jonathan Kuminga buy into their vision? The 21-year-old forward, fresh off a breakout season, had rejected the Warriors’ two-year, $45 million offer, bristling at the team option and lack of long-term security. That was in addition to the one-year $7.9 million qualifying offer which the franchise later upping their offer to a $75 million, three-year contract. While owner Joe Lacob personally met with him to smooth over negotiations, rival teams circled, pitching sign-and-trade scenarios that the Warriors ultimately turned down.

The drama didn’t stop there. Golden State’s cap sheet was already squeezed by Stephen Curry’s supermax and Jimmy Butler’s incoming deal, limiting their ability to chase top free agents. The Warriors have known to chase multiple veterans throughout the offseason, most notably including Al Horford and De’Anthony Melton. However, despite the lack of improvement, Steve Kerr and company have been given a reason for optimism from an unlikely source.

ESPN’s NBA Future Power Rankings have given the Golden State Warriors a strong vote of confidence heading into the 2025–26 season, slotting them at No. 6 overall. That’s an improvement from their previous position at No. 9, and reflects a belief among analysts that the dynasty still has staying power in the short term. The evaluation, conducted by ESPN insiders Kevin Pelton, Bobby Marks, and Tim Bontemps, graded Golden State as a top-five franchise in both market strength (No. 4) and management (No. 5), while landing them in the middle tier in players (No. 10), money flexibility (No. 18), and draft assets (No. 17).

Bobby Marks, ESPN front-office insider, captured the dilemma perfectly: “A team featuring three players 35 or older and under contract for only the next two seasons should be a cause of concern. But if the 20–7 record after the All-Star break and first-round playoff series win against Houston were indications, then there is some staying power for Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, Jimmy Butler III and the rest of the Warriors’ roster.”

Marks’ comments highlight the razor’s edge Golden State walks, age and contract timelines point to looming decline, but recent results suggest the core isn’t finished yet. The Warriors’ spring surge was one of the most compelling stretches of basketball in the league, proof that their stars can still tilt the balance when healthy and engaged.

Marks also underscored the uncertainty of the post-Curry era: “Because of the great unknown post-Curry in 2027, this ranking is likely the high-water mark with this group.” At the heart of it all is Curry, whose ability to sustain All-NBA production at 37 is the single biggest variable in Golden State’s outlook,  and the reason ESPN still places them in the league’s top tier despite long-term questions.

In other words, ESPN’s panel sees the current No. 6 spot as a ceiling for Golden State’s three-year projection. The Warriors’ ability to remain among the NBA’s elite hinges almost entirely on Curry’s brilliance and the cohesion of a core that has already defied age and wear. Once that chapter closes, the lack of draft capital and limited financial flexibility could drag them back toward the pack. For now, though, the Warriors are still positioned as one of basketball’s most formidable contenders — a team whose past dominance continues to shape its future outlook.

To put Golden State’s No. 6 slot in perspective, ESPN’s rankings were headlined by the Oklahoma City Thunder at No. 1, hailed for their MVP-led young core and unmatched draft capital. The Houston Rockets surged to No. 2, thanks to Ime Udoka’s influence, Kevin Durant’s arrival, and a deep pool of rising talent. The New York Knicks held steady at No. 3, buoyed by their first conference finals trip in 25 years, while the Cleveland Cavaliers jumped to No. 4 after a 64-win campaign anchored by Evan Mobley and Donovan Mitchell. Rounding out the top five were the LA Clippers, who, despite the ongoing controversy, leapt 15 spots behind strong management grades and dual timelines that give them both immediate firepower and long-term flexibility.

Kuminga’s growth collides with the Warriors’ business strategy

What began as a routine negotiation has now become a public power struggle between Jonathan Kuminga and the Warriors. The 21-year-old forward has already rejected multiple contract offers, including a one-year qualifying offer, a two-year deal stripped of any no-trade protection, and a more lucrative four-year, $75 million package with a team option attached to the final season. Each structure gave Golden State maximum flexibility while keeping Kuminga vulnerable, essentially setting him up as a trade chip rather than a long-term centerpiece. From Kuminga’s perspective, accepting those terms would mean conceding control of his career just as his value is peaking.

League insiders confirm that multiple teams, including the Phoenix Suns, floated sign-and-trade offers for Kuminga this summer, only for Golden State to turn them down. That refusal hasn’t been about belief in his long-term role, but rather the expectation that the Warriors can secure a more favorable package if they first lock him into a team-friendly deal. It’s why rival executives now view the franchise as playing a calculated waiting game, dangling extensions not to reward Kuminga’s breakout, but to preserve the option of flipping him once the right deal materializes.

The result is a clash of priorities: a young player trying to protect his future against a franchise looking to preserve leverage. Kuminga, who averaged career-best numbers last season and became a spark during the Warriors’ late playoff push, is pushing for stability and recognition. Golden State, still tethered to Stephen Curry’s timeline and strapped by cap constraints, sees him as one of the few movable assets in a roster otherwise defined by age and inflexibility.

The tension underscores a larger question: is Golden State genuinely building with Kuminga in mind, or simply using him as leverage to extend their championship window?