Mike Dunleavy shares blunt admission about Warriors' needs in 2026 NBA Draft originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO – The Warriors wade into the next three weeks seeking, well, let general manager Mike Dunleavy explain:
“Frankly,” Dunleavy said, “we need everything.”
Dunleavy’s blunt comment is accurate and refreshing. Pipe dreams have been replaced by stark reality. The GM, the coaching staff and the entire basketball world were shaken by the flaws apparent last season when Jimmy Butler III and then Stephen Curry were sidelined.
They had no credible off-the-dribble scorer, no reliable shot creator, no trustworthy on-ball defender. They were deficient in speed and athleticism, small in the paint and multiple veterans for whom playing back-to-back nights was too risky.
The result was a profoundly unsatisfying season and, moreover, full exposure of what’s needed to compete for an automatic playoff berth, much less a deep postseason run.
Which leads to what Dunleavy refers to as a “refocus” to correct the unsuccessful patchwork approach of the recent past.
“Right now, we’re in a spot where we’re not going through the progression the right way,” he said. “We’re sitting here saying, ‘Let’s keep turning the ball over. Let’s make a bunch of 3s trying to overcome it. Let’s trade for guys with more talent that can overcome these mistakes we’re making.’
“I’d rather back it up. Clean those things up and then build a roster from there, where we’re doing these things and we have really good players. And now we have a chance to be in the conversation. That’s the way I envision it.”
The goal is to become more disciplined while upgrading the roster that was 13-26 over the 39 games that Curry missed.
The next three weeks should provide an idea of Golden State’s direction. The NBA draft is set for next week (June 23-24), with free agency a week later. Trades will be in play.
Meanwhile, Draymond Green has until June 29 to opt into his player option; there still is interest in bringing back Kristaps Porzingis (an unrestricted free agent) at a reduced price from the $30.7 million he made last season, and De’Anthony Melton, expected to opt out of his player option, remains a possibility.
What’s known is that neither Moses Moody nor Butler will be active when the season begins in October. That leaves the Warriors painfully short on wings, perhaps the most valuable position in the league – an example being the contributions of OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges as the New York Knicks were rolling toward their first championship since 1973.
The Warriors, holding the No. 11 overall pick in the draft, have conducted pre-draft workouts with several wings, the most notable being Michigan’s Yaxel Lendeborg, who last week impressed onlookers at Chase Center.
But the need to augment Golden State’s roster will require more than one young player, whether it’s through the draft or via trade. Again, their needs are many and varied. For that reason, the Warriors are exploring options to trade back in the draft to have two picks in the middle to late first round. They also have a second-round pick, 54th overall.
“Everything is on the table,” Dunleavy said. “We’ll look at it all. I feel pretty confident that we will draft a player. Does that mean we move back? Do we move up or something like that? Sure, but I feel like as strong as this draft is, we should probably come out of this draft with a player – unless something falls into our lap trade-wise of a veteran guy that we really think can make a difference. We’ll certainly look at it and potentially do it.
“But this is a really good draft to be in, especially at 11. We don’t want to overlook that.”
With Butler and Moody sidelined, the Warriors have only four healthy players holding guaranteed contracts: Brandin Podziemski, Will Richard, Gui Santos and Curry. That provides a measure of flexibility to restock the roster.
Between the words uttered by coach Steve Kerr a few weeks ago and those offered by Dunleavy on Wednesday, it’s obvious the Warriors are entering – embracing – a new phase. Curry remains the centerpiece, but there is a more pragmatic view on what’s needed to reinvigorate the franchise now while also keeping it relevant for many years to come.
The front office is conceding there is no magic pill, so it’s rational to examine several pills in hopes of finding a combination that might deliver a more compelling reality.
