Curry and Morant are both expected to suit up today for their respective clubs’ preseason finale. Fans in attendance will get a marquee preview of two elite point guards taking the floor as both franchises gear up for the upcoming campaign.

While the Warriors had a relatively quiet offseason—a approach Curry himself has commented on—the Trail Blazers are handing the keys to Morant, viewing him as the focal point for a roster blending promising young talent with veteran experience.

Even as contenders like the Minnesota Timberwolves express confidence in their core—with Anthony Edwards recently issuing a bold warning to the rest of the league—both Golden State and Portland are eager to crash the Western Conference playoff picture and prove they can be dangerous threats this season.

Predicted lineups for Warriors vs. Trail Blazers

With Curry and Morant headlining the action, both head coaches are expected to deploy strong starting units to build rhythm and condition starters before real games begin.

• Golden State Warriors
  • PG: Stephen Curry
  • SG: Brandin Podziemski
  • SF: Jimmy Butler / Moses Moody
  • PF: Draymond Green
  • C: Quinten Post
• Portland Trail Blazers
  • PG: Ja Morant
  • SG: Shaedon Sharpe
  • SF: Deni Avdija
  • PF: Toumani Camara / Jeremy Sochan
  • C: Donovan Clingan

With marquee talent scheduled to take the court, both teams will look to close out their exhibition slates on a high note. Tipoff between the Warriors and Trail Blazers is set for 10:00 p.m. ET tonight at Chase Center.

Key takeaways

• Stephen Curry and Ja Morant are expected to suit up for today’s preseason finale.
• The Portland Trail Blazers acquired Ja Morant as their focal point this offseason.
• Tipoff between Golden State and Portland is set for 10:00 p.m. ET tonight.

On Doncic’s side, he is expected to be back on the floor after returning to team practice on Sunday. He did not play in their earlier preseason meeting on October 6, 2026, as the team rested him during a back-to-back set.

Curry is also trending toward notable action against the Lakers. Head coach Steve Kerr stated that Steph Curry will play in the second half, adding that he is hopeful Curry will bump his minutes up and play at least 20 to 22 minutes.

Performance expectations for Curry and Doncic

Fans may be concerned given Stephen Curry‘s runner’s knee status. However, the star guard said on media day in September that his knee has been feeling “great” heading into the season. The issue may be that Curry might not have some of the team’s best players to aid him, including Kristaps Porzingis or an injured Jimmy Butler.

Nevertheless, Curry is among the best not only because of talent, but through work ethic, training, and a commitment to giving his best; if his knee status becomes an issue, he will surely be the first to recognize it and let the staff know.

For the Lakers, it would be encouraging to see Luka Doncic look like his usual self, much like he did in their recent win over the Sacramento Kings when he scored 23 points in just 25 minutes. The same applies to Austin Reaves, who made his preseason debut in that game and understandably looked a little rusty.

The Lakers are 1-6 in their season openers since 2019-20. While that has rarely affected their overall results—typically finding success in spite of the six 0-1 starts—it would be ideal to start the new 2026-27 campaign on a high note. The Lakers and Warriors are also set to square off on Opening Night of the 2026 NBA season on October 21.

Key takeaways

• Luka Doncic is expected to play for the Lakers after returning to practice Sunday.
• Stephen Curry will play in the second half for Golden State, per Steve Kerr.
• October 21 marks Opening Night when the Lakers and Warriors square off again.

Curry, who recently reiterated his commitment to the franchise with a new contract extension, has now given his take on the team’s moves, or lack thereof, over the last few years.

“I mean, I’m not an idiot. I know what it means in the sense of that window we had where coming off of ’22, there were opportunities to get better, add new talent, and some worked out, some didn’t. And the jury is still out on how we end this entire journey with a competitive mindset,” Curry said to NBC Sports Bay Area, via Valentina Martinez of the California Post.

Lack of project ambition in the Warriors’ front office

The Warriors have only made one major move since their 2022 championship: trading for Jimmy Butler, who is currently rehabbing a torn ACL. Instead, the team relies heavily on the development of young stars emerging from within the franchise.

However, there has really been only one case that yielded fruitful results for the franchise, most notably playing an essential role on the 2022 NBA championship team: Jordan Poole.

Poole stands as the last case of a young player with the Warriors breaking out inside the franchise and serving as a key piece in a project that completely exceeded expectations—an example the home office may be trying to latch onto.

What is expected of Curry

Curry will be hoping for better luck on the injury front this year, as he missed over 40 games last season due to a lingering knee issue. Golden State is slated to kick off their season on October 21 with a road game vs. the Los Angeles Lakers.

Key takeaways

• Stephen Curry addressed Golden State’s lack of offseason moves in an interview.
• Jimmy Butler is currently rehabbing a torn ACL following his trade to Golden State.
• Over 40 games were missed by Stephen Curry last season due to knee issues.

For Steph Curry, he is expected to play for the Warriors tonight at home in the Chase Center. Curry logged 10 points in 12 minutes during the Warriors’ preseason opener.

However, Luka Doncic‘s status is doubtful, meaning he is unlikely to suit up on the second night of a back-to-back preseason period. Doncic had 21 points on Monday against the Sacramento Kings.

Steph Curry is entering year 17 with high expectations

Now 37 years old, Curry is entirely focused on “extending his prime” and maintains an inner belief that he can still play at the absolute top of his game to compete for championships. However, while he has high expectations, the Golden State Warriors’ external expectations for the team are actually at a decade-long low.

For over a decade, Curry and the Warriors entered training camp with clear-cut title expectations. However, heading into the 2026–27 NBA season, plenty of analysts are widely predicting Golden State to miss the postseason entirely.

LA Lakers’ Luka Doncic has lots of pressure this year

Luka Doncic enters the 2026 NBA season facing intense pressure as the undisputed franchise centerpiece of the Los Angeles Lakers following a major organizational and roster overhaul, including parting ways with LeBron James.

With LeBron James no longer on the roster, the weight of carrying the franchise rests squarely on Doncic’s shoulders alongside co-leader Austin Reaves. Public and media expectations remain sky-high for Dončić to deliver an NBA championship to Los Angeles.

Key Takeaways

• Stephen Curry is expected to play for Golden State in tonight’s preseason home opener.
• Luka Dončić remains doubtful on the second night of a back-to-back slate.
• Analysts predict Golden State could miss the postseason entirely entering year 17.

Stephen Curry has agreed to a two-year, $116 million contract extension with the Golden State Warriors, featuring a player option for the 2028-29 season, according to sources cited by ESPN’s Shams Charania.

To put the timeline into perspective, LeBron‘s deal with the 76ers expires in June 2027 if he decides not to use his opt-out option, or extends through June 2028 if he decides to play the optional second year. This could potentially open the door for James to leave the franchise as a free agent and seek to play one final year with the Warriors, enjoying that potential last season alongside Curry, though such a scenario remains highly complicated to pull off.

Curry’s career with the Warriors

The 38-year-old Curry has spent his entire 17-year NBA career with the Warriors. The contract will tie him through age 40 – and possibly to the end of his career – with the franchise that selected him seventh overall in the 2009 NBA Draft.

Curry, a 12-time All-Star and two-time MVP, was limited to 43 games in the 2025-26 season due to a right knee injury. His 30.9 minutes per game represented the third-lowest figure of his career, yet he still averaged 26.6 points and 4.7 assists per contest.

Curry holds the NBA record for 3-pointers made with 4,248 and ranks 19th on the all-time scoring list with 26,528 points. His legacy is indisputable. Now, following his contract extension, his future with the Warriors leaves no room for doubt either.

A notable detail in Curry’s career

The affection is mutual. Despite frequent complaints regarding the front office and the Warriors‘ poor attempts to adequately build around Curry while he remains elite, a key detail stands out: He has never been eligible for free agency in his career and, depending on when he plans to retire, might never be.

“I wasn’t surprised [by the punishment]… at the end of the day, Adam Silver had a job to do, and I think the punishment makes sense, and we all move forward,” Curry said in an interview with CNBC.

As the Clippers continue to challenge the league over the sanctions, all eyes remain on how the situation unfolds, especially with team owner Steve Ballmer entangled in ongoing legal matters and the potential for further scrutiny into the franchise’s cap management.

Meanwhile, after Leonard broke his silence on the scandal, anticipation is building among Toronto Raptors fans ahead of his return to the city, where he is set to lead a squad featuring emerging talent Scottie Pippen Jr.

Leonard’s trade to Rockets happened with plenty of things going on

Despite previous trade rumors surrounding Leonard and the Houston Rockets—which reportedly stalled amid the legal headwinds surrounding Ballmer—the veteran star is set to rejoin the fold.

Additionally, reports indicate the Raptors are interested in extending Leonard’s tenure, signaling a desire to build a competitive project around Leonard and Pippen to propel Toronto back into Eastern Conference playoff contention.

Curry’s future reportedly decided

While the Warriors icon refrained from discussing his long-term plans publicly, a report from The Athletic‘s Marcus Thompson II shed light on Curry’s future in Golden State.

“Steph is re-signing. Steph isn’t going anywhere. He never was… He wants to play for the same team his whole career… He’d rather go down not winning with his guys than going somewhere else and winning,” Thompson II wrote.

The 38-year-old guard fully intends to re-sign with the Warriors, according to Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area. While working out a new deal with the club, Curry admitted that he and his representation will not allow contract talks to become a distraction for his teammates and that he wants to be part of the franchise for the rest of his career.

“There’s no question I want to be here the rest of my career, and I’m pretty sure that’s going to happen,” Curry said. “The deal and the contract stuff will happen at the right time, and we’re not letting it be a distraction from our preparation for the season, and the fact that the team we’re coming back with has a lot of familiarity.”

Curry expects contract extension

According to Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints, Curry has always planned to sign a contract extension. The Warriors fully intend to re-sign the four-time NBA champion, with belief growing that Curry could follow in the footsteps of LeBron James and play well into his 40s.

“Many have questioned whether the Warriors’ inability to surround Curry with championship-level talent in recent years since their miraculous 2022 title run would result in him wanting to finish his career elsewhere,” Siegel wrote. “All of that talk is ‘nothing but nonsense,’ as one team source said while laughing when asked about whether Steph could leave… .

“The Warriors are Steph’s organization, just like how Dirk Nowitzki will always be remembered in the same sentence as the Dallas Mavericks, Tim Duncan with the San Antonio Spurs, and Kobe Bryant with the Los Angeles Lakers. Curry will be on Golden State’s roster to begin the 2026-27 season, he will be on the roster to end the season, and he will retire in a Dubs uniform,” Siegel continued.

Siegel’s assessment rings true. Curry has proven to be one of the most loyal players in NBA history, spending his entire career with the franchise and helping push it forward even when the front office failed to build adequately around him. Ultimately, an end-of-career finish with the Warriors remains expected for the superstar who has stayed loyal throughout his entire journey.

Curry made an appearance at the Golden State Valkyries’ home game against the Dallas Wings on Monday night inside Chase Center, also known as Ballhalla among Valkyries fans. The Warriors guard stopped to chat with the CBS broadcast’s sideline reporter, who asked him how he is preparing for his 18th NBA season.

“That number doesn’t even sound right,” Curry said with a smile. Curry proceeded to express his excitement for the impending NBA season. “But I’m excited. We’re going to take advantage of the rest of the offseason, but I think we have a, there’s a lot of health coming back. For me, I’m blessed to play this game. I feel good taking advantage of the offseason, and when September rolls around, hopefully these ladies are going to be celebrating some crazy things at the end of their season and roll right into ours.”

Warriors look to defy odds

While most do not place them among championship contenders, Curry and the Warriors are preparing for another potential run at an NBA Championship alongside Draymond Green and Steve Kerr.

Jimmy Butler remains on the mend, recovering from a torn ACL in his right knee, though reportedly ahead of schedule. However, the team will definitely need his presence for improved performance, a reality demonstrated last season.

Last season, Curry played in just 45 games, averaging 26.5 points, 4.7 assists, and 3.5 rebounds while playing 31 minutes per game. Still, the franchise’s success will ultimately depend on how healthy the roster remains.

Curry on return to Chase Center

Curry also made sure to show love to fans showing up and showed out at Chase Center during this season with the Valkyries. The Warriors open the 2026-27 NBA season against Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena on Oct. 21 before returning home on Oct. 23 against the Memphis Grizzlies.

“It’s definitely reminiscent for sure, which is kind of a great vibe from Oracle to Chase in we play, and then what Ballhalla has meant for the last 2 yeas,” Curry added. “So hopefully they have a great end to the year. They’re obviously playing amazing basketball, and seeing that they have a great chemistry, it’s great to watch.”

Lendeborg has become one of the biggest stories of the Summer League, helping the Golden State Warriors capture the championship as he earned Tournament MVP and Championship Game MVP honors. While Curry was not in Las Vegas to watch the rookie in person, he followed every game on TV and spoke about him on the Dubs Talk show:

“I’ve watched all summer league games; I haven’t been there in person. He looks very confident, poised, competitive; he’s a champion, and I’m excited to get out there and figure it out with him. You know, rookies are awesome ’cause they bring such good energy to the locker room, especially guys with talent like him. So that’s what we need.”

Lendeborg’s Summer League performance

Lendeborg undoubtedly earned that attention with his performance in Las Vegas. He capped his Summer League run with 21 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals in the Golden State Warriors‘ 94-90 victory over Memphis Grizzlies.

Across six games, he averaged 14.8 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 4.0 assists. He showed versatility and confidence, qualities that could immediately translate into a larger role with the Warriors.

Of course, dominating Summer League and playing a relevant role in the NBA regular season are not the same thing. However, the team will need Lendeborg to make that transition faster than expected.

Lendeborg’s opportunity on the wing

That stands as high praise coming from Curry, especially considering the two have not even shared the floor yet. But it remains an opportunity Lendeborg must continue to prove himself.

The Warriors enter the 2026-27 season with major uncertainty on the wing. Jimmy Butler remains sidelined after tearing his ACL, while Moses Moody is recovering from a ruptured left patellar tendon.

These absences have left the Dubs without two of their four primary options at small forward, which could create an opening for Lendeborg to earn big minutes.

Mike Dunleavy Jr. said he would not deny Steph the chance to move if he so desired it. Speaking in a recent chat with The Athletic’s Anthony Slater, Dunleavy explained what it would actually look like if the veteran point guard opted out of San Francisco. “Ultimately, it’s his call, his decision, whether that’s allowing his contract to run out and move on,” Dunleavy said on Tuesday.

“Look, if he comes to me and wants to be moved, [controlling owner] Joe [Lacob] and I will talk it through. We wouldn’t love it. But he’s earned the right to do what he wants. But as far as the messaging or any idea that he’d be anywhere else, that’s not a thing we’re looking at, or he’s looking at.”

What the Warriors want to avoid most

Despite Dunleavy stating the front office would not stand in his way, letting the greatest player in franchise history leave without a fight would bring unprecedented pain to the organization, adding to the heavy criticism management has faced in recent years.

Curry remains in top form. As a four-time champion and two-time MVP, he is the greatest Warrior ever and is coming off another excellent NBA season with averages of 26.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 4.7 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game, on 46.8% shooting from the field.

But at 38 years old, Steph is approaching the end of his storied career, and he wants to go out the way he deserves: as a winner. The problem is, the Warriors are not in a position to contend as currently constructed. Besides Curry and Kristaps Porzingis, they lack veteran scoring options.

Warriors dealing with major injuries

They are also dealing with major injuries to both Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody. For Dunleavy, the challenge this summer was finding the balance between talent and availability. The picture looks even worse considering the team did not pursue LeBron James or Giannis Antetokounmpo.

“Constructing [the roster], we had to make a decision between talent and availability,” Dunleavy added. “There was no perfect solution in terms of the combination of the two. We leaned a little bit more toward talent… We are taking on some risk there, but I think we value the talent over maybe finding guys that were perfectly healthy.”

The team may have missed out on LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo, but there’s still a pathway to making upgrades without breaking up its beloved core. According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, there are ties between the squad and a pair of veteran minimum-level free agents: Georges Niang and Kelly Olynyk.

The Warriors had plans to pursue a new co-star for Curry, though that may not be known for now, but had to settle for less ambitious targets after being turned down. Fortunately, the organization managed to re-sign Kristaps Porzingis and Draymond Green to contract extensions, securing a solid frontcourt to play alongside Steph.

By the numbers: Niang and Olynyk

Golden State must seek solutions that ensure results, especially in the paint, where the team struggled immensely last season. Still, at 33 years old, Georges Niang is not going to move the needle for Golden State, but having another veteran shooter and scorer on the floor would surely make life easier for Steph.

In 28 games last NBA season, Niang averaged 12.1 points, 3.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.4 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game while shooting 44.1% from the field and 41.3% from three-point territory. At 6-foot-6 and 230 pounds, Niang provides crucial frontcourt depth that could prove decisive for the team’s success or failure this season.

If he is unavailable, the Warriors could also consider Kelly Olynyk, another veteran power forward capable of stretching the floor. In 42 games last season, Olynyk averaged 3.2 points, 1.8 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.4 steals, and 0.1 blocks per game on 49.0% shooting from the field.

Having played for eight teams over a 13-year career, he knows how to adapt to various situations and possesses extensive experience playing alongside elite talent.