Shocking ESPN Forecast: Are the 2025-26 Warriors on the Brink of Play-In Disaster?

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Over free agency, Golden State lost veteran center and NBA champion Kevon Looney but has remained at an impasse in contract negotiations with restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga.

“However, two teams still make it out of the play-in. The seventh-seeded Warriors beat the second-seeded Rockets in the first round last April. If Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler III and Draymond Green are healthy, the West’s top two seeds won’t be ecstatic to see the Warriors emerging from the seventh or eighth slot this spring.” 

The 2025-26 NBA season is right around the corner, and, as has been the case for over a decade, the Warriors have high expectations for the upcoming campaign.

As a result, the Warriors remain the lone franchise that has yet to make an offseason move. 

ESPN predicts the Warriors (48-34) will finish the 2025-26 season with the same record as last season, 48-34, as the Western Conference’s No. 7 seed, placing them back in the NBA play-in tournament.

“The West is so crowded with contenders that a couple of them will inevitably be bumped into this bracket, forced to play an extra game or two with their playoff hopes on the line,” ESPN staff wrote.

The NBA community is gearing up for another thrilling ride as the 2025-26 season looms closer. Golden State Warriors fans, as ever, hold their breath — expecting greatness but facing uncertainty. Their offseason saga hasn’t unfolded as anticipated: the loss of Kevon Looney—a seasoned champ and centerpiece—and a stalemate over Jonathan Kuminga’s contract have left the franchise oddly quiet amid a bustling free agency frenzy. This stillness is deafening because no other team remains idle. So, where does this leave a Warriors squad striving to carve out its place in one of the NBA’s most jam-packed Western Conferences? While ESPN’s experts peg Steph Curry and his crew to snag the 7th seed with a familiar 48-34 record, the road ahead feels anything but predictable. Health and hustle could shake up destinies — and the top contenders might just dread seeing Golden State’s grit emerge from a play-in spot once again. Intrigued? Dive deeper into the unfolding story. LEARN MORE

 “That’s particularly dangerous for older teams like the Warriors and Mavericks, who will likely spend the final month of the season in a full-out standings sprint and won’t get the extra week of pre-playoff rest the top teams receive.

ESPN experts predicted where star Steph Curry and Co. will finish the 2025-26 season, and Dub Nation might disagree. 

The question still begs: Where does Golden State stand in a loaded Western Conference?