After a long offseason, the Golden State Warriors have finally made the roster moves many expected throughout the summer. Though it may not have gone as planned, the Warriors re-signed restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga, which then allowed them to agree to deals with Al Horford, De’Anthony Melton, Gary Payton II, and Seth Curry.
Horford’s arrival marks the biggest change for Golden State out of all their recent additions. Just one year off winning the 2024 NBA Finals with the Boston Celtics, Horford remains a valuable player around the league.
While he might not be at the same peak he was at earlier in his career, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr believes Horford will be crucial in the team’s success next season, considering his skillset across all aspects of the game.
“It’s huge to have, not only a space five, but it’s not just any space five, it’s Al Horford,” Kerr said Wednesday at Golden State’s press conference. “Rebounds, defends, smart, good passer. Just watching him today, you could see the fit, how smooth it is.”
Horford reportedly signed a two-year, $11.6 million contract with the Warriors. At 39 years old, he is the fifth-oldest player in the NBA, but joins an aging Golden State roster that is excited about his arrival.
Horford’s Fit On The Warriors
Though in the twilight of his career, Horford remains one of the most valuable big men in the league, considering both his resume and play style. Whether it be three-point shooting, rebounding, or fitting around established stars Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Jimmy Butler, Kerr isn’t worried about how Horford will fit in.
“He could play with Draymond, space the floor as a five. He could play with Trayce (Jackson-Davis), and Trayce could be the dive man,” Kerr said. “We could play two bigs with him. He can also play the five himself. We could have a five-out lineup. So Al’s versatility, and the fact that he fits in any lineup, just makes him hugely valuable right away.”
Horford averaged nine points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.1 assists on 36.3% shooting from distance last season in Boston. His shooting numbers dropped from the previous years, but as Kevin Pelton wrote for ESPN, that’s likely not a big cause for concern.
“Even before the Warriors added Jimmy Butler at the February trade deadline, frontcourt shooting was Golden State’s biggest need… The Warriors badly need everyone else (besides Green and Butler) on the court with them to stretch the floor,” Pelton wrote.
“Horford shot just 36% on 3s last season, but that came on the heels of hitting better than 40% beyond the arc in each of the previous two campaigns. And Horford remains capable of defending on the perimeter better than most centers two decades younger.”
Horford started in about two-thirds of their regular-season games, but saw a slightly diminished role on the defending champion Celtics team. Horford also didn’t play in any back-to-back games last year, and doesn’t expect that to change with the Warriors.
Current Roster Construction
After the Kuminga contract stalemate, the Warriors finally have what looks to be their roster for opening day of the 2025-26 regular season.
One notable aspect of Golden State’s current roster, and starting lineup in particular, is the age of their stars. The Warriors expect to be the first team ever to trot out a starting lineup with four players over the age of 35. All of Curry, Butler, Green, and Horford are in the final stages of their careers, and while vastly experienced, they are nowhere close to being considered youthful.
Buddy Hield, Brandin Podziemski, or Kuminga are the likely candidates to take the last starting spot. Hield played well in that role last year, and as Kerr mentioned, he remains the best shooter out of that bunch to pair with the other starters.
Golden State also has Payton, Seth Curry, and Moses Moody as other backup perimeter options. They added Melton, but he remains sidelined as of now, continuing his ACL recovery.
Kuminga remains the biggest question for Kerr and the front office. His new extension leaves the door wide open on a trade at the February deadline, and after the stalemate, his time in the Bay Area looks to be coming to an end.
Even after finally making their offseason moves and completing their roster construction, the Warriors still have numerous questions surrounding them heading into the season. General manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. knows that, but feels confident in the roster.
“(We’re) pretty excited about this group, about this season,” Dunleavy said. “(We) feel like we made some really good additions and obviously have some really good key returning players as well as some young guys that we think will be able to take a step.”
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