Everything changed when Klay Thompson headed to Dallas. Honestly, it felt like the end of a movie where the credits roll just a bit too soon. For years, the Golden State Warriors starting lineup was the most predictable thing in professional sports. You had Steph, Klay, Draymond, and whoever else was fit enough to run the floor and set a half-decent screen.
That certainty is gone. Dead.
Now, we’re looking at a puzzle that Steve Kerr is still trying to solve in 2026. It’s not just about who starts; it’s about the math. The NBA has evolved into a league where size and switchability matter more than just pure shooting, even if you have the greatest shooter to ever live on your roster. If you’ve watched a single game lately, you know the vibe is different. There's more grit, more defensive length, and a whole lot of experimentation that occasionally makes fans want to pull their hair out.
The Core That Won’t Quit
Stephen Curry remains the sun. Everything in the Warriors starting lineup orbits around him. If he’s not on the floor, the gravity disappears, and the offense looks like a chaotic pickup game at the local YMCA.
But look at the defense. Draymond Green, despite the noise and the technical fouls, is still the brain of the operation. He’s the one yelling out rotations before the opponent even crosses half-court. The problem is that Draymond at center—the "Death Lineup" style—is harder to pull off for 35 minutes a night when he’s facing 20-year-old giants who don't get tired.
Kerr has had to get creative. He’s leaning heavily on Andrew Wiggins again. People forget how vital Wiggins was in the 2022 championship run. When his head is in the game and his jumper is falling, he’s the perfect bridge between the old guard and the new reality. He takes the tough defensive assignment so Steph doesn’t have to waste energy fighting through screens.
Brandin Podziemski and the Youth Movement
The biggest shift in the Warriors starting lineup has been the integration of Brandin Podziemski.
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He’s annoying. I mean that as a compliment. He draws charges, he crashes the boards like he’s 6’10”, and he has that "coach’s son" energy that Steve Kerr absolutely loves. Inserting him into the starting five wasn't just about talent; it was about ball movement. Podziemski allows Curry to play off the ball more, coming off those staggered screens that leave defenders dizzy.
Then there’s Jonathan Kuminga. The "JK" experience is a roller coaster. One night he looks like an All-Star who can jump over a skyscraper, and the next he’s caught ball-watching on defense. For the Warriors starting lineup to actually compete with the giants of the Western Conference—the Oklahomas and the Denvers—Kuminga has to be the secondary scorer. He provides the rim pressure that the Warriors have lacked since, well, maybe ever.
Why the Starting Five Keeps Shifting
It’s about matchups. Plain and simple.
- Against small-ball teams, Kerr might go with a "three-guard" look.
- Against the Jokics of the world, Trayce Jackson-Davis becomes essential.
- If the spacing is cramped, Buddy Hield gets the nod to keep the floor stretched.
Trayce Jackson-Davis (TJD) has been a godsend. He’s a traditional rim protector who actually understands the Warriors' complex "split-cut" offense. Having a vertical threat changes how teams defend the high pick-and-roll. If they over-commit to Steph, TJD is there for the lob. It’s a simple play, but it works because of the threat of the long ball.
The Buddy Hield Factor
Replacing Klay Thompson’s production is impossible. You don't just "replace" one half of the Splash Brothers. However, Buddy Hield has been as close as you can get in terms of pure volume.
The question for the Warriors starting lineup is whether Hield can survive defensively. We know he can shoot. He could probably roll out of bed and hit five triples in his sleep. But the Warriors’ system is built on defensive communication. If you miss a rotation, you’re on the bench. This is why Hield often fluctuates between starting and being the flamethrower off the bench.
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Honestly, the bench might be where he’s most effective. But when Kerr needs to punch a team in the mouth early with scoring, Hield is right there next to Steph. It creates a "pick your poison" scenario for opposing coaches.
Addressing the Size Disadvantage
Let’s be real: the Warriors are still small.
Even with the emergence of Jackson-Davis, this team struggles against elite size. This is the nuance that many national pundits miss. They see the record and think the Warriors are back, but the Warriors starting lineup often gets bullied on the glass.
Draymond Green is 6'6" on a good day. When he’s playing the five, the Warriors are giving up a lot of second-chance points. To counter this, Wiggins and Kuminga have to rebound at an elite level. If they don't, the transition game—which is the Warriors' bread and butter—never gets started. You can't run if you're taking the ball out of the net.
Expert consensus from analysts like Anthony Slater and Marcus Thompson suggests that the Warriors are always "one trade away" from a true seven-footer who fits the system. But until that happens, the current lineup has to play with a level of intensity that is frankly exhausting over an 82-game season.
The Strategic Reality of 2026
The Warriors starting lineup is no longer a fixed entity. It’s a fluid concept.
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Kerr has spoken openly about the need for "organizational versatility." That’s just a fancy way of saying he’s going to keep tinkering until something sticks. We’ve seen lineups featuring De'Anthony Melton for defensive stability and lineups with Kyle Anderson (Slo-Mo) to add more playmaking and IQ.
What’s fascinating is how the team has moved away from the "hero ball" mentality that often plagued them during the transition years. There’s a renewed focus on the "0.5-second rule"—either shoot, pass, or drive within half a second of catching the ball.
- Steph Curry: Primary Scorer / Gravity Generator
- Andrew Wiggins: Two-way wing / Secondary defender
- Draymond Green: Defensive anchor / Point Forward
- Jonathan Kuminga: Interior threat / Athleticism
- Trayce Jackson-Davis: Rim protection / Lob threat
This specific configuration offers the most balance, but it lacks the elite spacing of the 2017-2019 era. If Kuminga and Wiggins aren't hitting their corner threes, the lane clogs up, and Steph has to work twice as hard to get a clean look.
Moving Forward with the Warriors Starting Lineup
If you're looking for a static list of five names to be written in stone for the rest of the year, you’re going to be disappointed. The modern Warriors are a "meritocracy of the moment."
The data shows that the lineup with Curry, Podziemski, Wiggins, Kuminga, and Green has the highest net rating over short stretches, but it’s physically taxing. Expect to see Kerr continue to use the first 20 games of any stretch to evaluate who deserves the closing minutes, which, as any Warriors fan knows, is much more important than who starts.
To get the most out of watching this team, keep an eye on the first substitution pattern. Usually, if Kerr pulls a starter before the six-minute mark, it’s a sign that the defensive energy isn’t there. The Warriors starting lineup is a barometer for the team's overall health and focus.
Actionable Insights for Following the Warriors:
- Monitor the Rebound Margin: If the Warriors are within three rebounds of their opponent by halftime, their starting lineup is doing its job.
- Watch the "Draymond Five" Minutes: Track how often Draymond Green is playing center. If it exceeds 15 minutes a game, the Warriors are likely in a high-stakes "must-win" mode that might lead to burnout.
- Focus on Kuminga's Efficiency: His field goal percentage at the rim is the best indicator of whether the starting unit has enough space to operate.
- Check the Injury Report Daily: With an aging core, the starting lineup is highly susceptible to "load management" shifts, making the bench depth more critical than ever before.