Stephen Curry

Draymond Green Challenges Warriors’ Commitment To Winning

November 12th, 2025 at 9:00am CST by Luke Adams

The Warriors finished last season 23-8 after the Jimmy Butler trade, then opened the 2025/26 campaign with four wins in their first five games. However, they’ve since dropped five of seven, prompting forward Draymond Green to suggest after Tuesday’s blowout loss to Oklahoma City that Golden State isn’t taking the same team-first approach that was so successful down the stretch last season.

“I think everybody was committed to winning [back then] and doing that any way possible,” Green said, per Anthony Slater of ESPN. “Right now, it doesn’t feel that way.

“… I think everyone has a personal agenda in this league,” Green continued. “But you have to make those personal agendas work within the team confines. If it doesn’t work, you kind of got to get rid of your agenda or eventually the agenda is the cause of someone getting rid of you.”

Green didn’t single out any specific teammates who he believes are letting “personal agendas” get in the way of winning — when Slater approached him for follow-up questions after his general media session, the former Defensive Player of the Year simply said that “everyone” has to take some responsibility for the team’s recent slide.

However, as Slater points out, Brandin Podziemski spoke repeatedly before the season about his career ambitions, including his goal to be “better than” Stephen Curry, while a desire for a more significant role was a major factor in Jonathan Kuminga‘s restricted free agency standoff with the Warriors. So when a veteran gripes about “personal agendas,” those younger players tend to fall under the spotlight first, Slater notes.

After a strong start to the season, Kuminga has slowed down in the past couple weeks, shooting just 44.4% from the floor (25.0% on three-pointers) and committing more than three turnovers per game, including five in 24 minutes on Tuesday. Head coach Steve Kerr and Butler have both spoken about a need to take better care of the ball and not trying to do too much with it, as Slater relays.

“Myself, I can’t have turnovers,” Butler said. “JK can’t have turnovers. … We’re the ones that have to keep our turnovers down.”

While Green’s comments presumably weren’t aimed at his longtime teammate Curry, the star guard was willing to shoulder his share of the blame after struggling in his return to action on Tuesday after a three-game absence due to an illness. In 20 minutes, Curry scored just 11 points on 4-of-13 shooting and committed five fouls. He was a -23 in a game the team lost by 24 points.

“I kind of fell into [the agenda thing] a little bit myself,” Curry said. “Trying to get myself going. But the bigger issue when you lose is you start to look around and figure out what’s the issue. Commitment to winning is just running the floor, rebounding, taking care of the basketball. It’s not really about shots going in or not.”

All six of the Warriors’ losses so far this season have come on the road — they’re 5-0 at home. However, they’ll get no help from the schedule in the near future. They’ll play in San Antonio on Wednesday and Friday, New Orleans on Sunday, Orlando next Tuesday, and Miami next Wednesday before finally returning to the Bay Area for a five-game home stand.

Injury Notes: Beal, Giddey, Harris, Adebayo, Curry

November 10th, 2025 at 10:49pm CST by Rory Maher

The Clippers are concerned that Bradley Beal could miss extended time with a left hip injury, head coach Tyronn Lue told reporters prior to Monday’s game vs. Atlanta (Twitter link via Justin Russo). Beal is currently undergoing tests to determine the severity of the injury, which was initially described as left hip soreness, tweets Tomer Azarly of ClutchPoints.

According to Kellan Olson of ArizonaSports.com (Twitter link), Beal said on Friday in Phoenix that he’s been dealing with an unspecified injury since last season, when he was a member of the Suns. The 32-year-old has battled a variety of health issues over the past several years, having played between 40 and 60 games each of the past six seasons.

In other Clippers news, John Collins received his first start with his new team on Monday. Lue said he plans to stick with Collins in the starting lineup “for a while,” per Russo (Twitter video link).

“We’ve been struggling rebounding the basketball, and career, statistically, he’s been a really good rebounder,” Lue said of the Collins, who will be an unrestricted free agent next summer if he doesn’t sign a veteran extension.

Here are a few more injury-related notes from around the NBA:

While Josh Giddey missed Monday’s loss to San Antonio, head coach Billy Donovan said the Bulls don’t have any long-term concerns about his right ankle sprain, as Jamal Collier of ESPN relays. “We don’t feel like it’s anything too severe with his ankle,” Donovan said. “He didn’t have really much swelling after the game [Saturday]. He got some [treatment] yesterday and was just a little bit uncomfortable today at shootaround.” Giddey is considered day-to-day, according to Donovan.
Pistons forward Tobias Harris is making progress from his high right ankle sprain, but there’s still no official timetable for his return, head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said on Monday (Twitter links via Hunter Patterson of The Athletic and Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press). Harris, who missed his fifth straight game tonight against Washington, will be a free agent in 2026.
Five-time All-Defensive big man Bam Adebayo was ruled out for the third consecutive Heat game on Monday vs. Cleveland, notes Anthony Chiang of The Miami Herald (via Twitter). The 28-year-old forward/center was diagnosed with a sprained left big toe on Thursday after undergoing an MRI. Adebayo is considered day-to-day.
Warriors superstar Stephen Curry (illness) was out again on Sunday during the win over Indiana, but he’s not on the injury report ahead of Tuesday’s game at Oklahoma City, as Anthony Slater of ESPN tweets. The 37-year-old guard contracted the illness last week and wound up missing three games, Slater writes for ESPN.com.

Pacific Notes: Ellis, Leonard, Curry, Warriors

November 8th, 2025 at 11:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

Keon Ellis is trying to be philosophical about his reduced role in the Kings‘ rotation, writes Chris Biderman of The Sacramento Bee. Ellis logged just 12 minutes of action in Friday’s loss to Oklahoma City — all in the fourth quarter of a blowout — continuing a trend that has seen him reach 20 minutes in just three of the team’s first nine games.

Biderman notes that Ellis had reason to expect a more prominent position after finishing second on the team in three-point percentage last season at 43% and ranking second in the league with 280 deflections. Ellis provides a level of perimeter defense that the team has been lacking while ranking 25th in defensive efficiency, 28th in deflections and 28th in contested shots coming into Friday’s game.

“Because I know if I go out there, I do what I do,” Ellis responded when asked about his playing time. “If I don’t go out there, it is what it is. I control what I can control.”

The Kings added Dennis Schröder and Russell Westbrook to their backcourt during the offseason, and they’re both playing ahead of Ellis. Westbrook has been putting up vintage numbers lately, including 24 points, nine assists and six rebounds Friday night after posting a triple-double on Wednesday, but Schröder hasn’t been as effective. The Kings have been outscored by 85 points in the 287 minutes he has played and they have a minus-9.9 net rating when he’s on the court. Biderman states.

“It’s a numbers game,” coach Doug Christie said. “There’s a big logjam there. Night to night, it could be different. It’s not going to be any easier once you get Keegan (Murray) back. But this is a good problem to have. It’s one that hasn’t been here for a long time when you talk about wing players and the ability to have them. Keon’s a pro so I know he’ll be ready and prepared.”

There’s more from the Pacific Division:

Clippers coach Tyronn Lue said Kawhi Leonard will miss “the next few games” with a sprained right ankle, according to The Associated Press. Lue didn’t provide any specifics about Leonard’s condition, but he stated that medical tests are indicating it won’t be a prolonged absence.
After missing two games with an illness, Warriors star Stephen Curry is listed as questionable for Sunday’s meeting with Indiana, per Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle. Curry started feeling fatigued in the second half of Tuesday’s contest and didn’t travel with the team on its two-game trip to Sacramento and Denver. Al Horford is also questionable after being scratched from Friday’s game due to a left foot strain.
Draymond Green was critical of the Warriors‘ defense, and coach Steve Kerr lamented “a lack of purpose and energy” following Friday’s loss at Denver, relays Nick Friedell of The Athletic. Golden State fell behind early and wasn’t able to fight back in a 129-104 defeat. “There has to be some fire in the belly to get out of a tough night,” Kerr said. “It’s tough as a young player when things aren’t going their way, the game’s not going their way, it’s easy to get down. You can’t do that in this league. You have to fight and compete every second, and it didn’t feel like we did that tonight.”

Injury Notes: Mavs Bigs, Curry, Reaves, Coulibaly, Nets

November 6th, 2025 at 11:02pm CST by Eli Cohen

The Mavericks have been shorthanded in the frontcourt as of late, and that will likely continue for at least another game. According to Christian Clark of The Athletic (Twitter link), Anthony Davis is listed by the team as doubtful for Friday’s matchup against the Grizzlies, while Dereck Lively II will remain out for a sixth straight game.

Davis has missed the Mavs’ past three games after exiting the October 29 matchup against the Pacers in the first quarter. Prior to that, he was averaging 25.0 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 1.8 steals per night, though Dallas was off to a slow start, with a 1-3 record in the full games he played.

Lively has only played three games this season and averaged 5.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.0 assists. He’s averaging a career-low 17.0 minutes per contest in the early going, despite starting all three games.

The Mavs are currently tied for the worst record in the Western Conference at 2-6.

We have more news on injuries around the league:

Stephen Curry will miss the Warriors‘ NBA Cup opener on Friday against the Nuggets due to an illness sustained on the team’s recent road trip, reports Anthony Slater for ESPN. Slater writes that Curry began feeling symptomatic heading into the team’s matchup with the Suns on Tuesday, and admitted post-game that he felt drained in the second half. Curry will not travel with the team, but instead will stay in the Bay Area and prepare for Sunday’s game against the Pacers. Draymond Green, who has a rib contusion, is listed as probable, while Jimmy Butler is questionable due to a lower back strain. Kerr said that both players are hopeful to suit up against Denver after sitting out Wednesday in Sacramento.
Lakers‘ coach JJ Redick says that Austin Reaves is “TBD” for the team’s next game on Saturday against the Hawks, reports Dave McMenamin (via Twitter). The club is being cautious as Reaves looks to return from a groin injury. McMenamin notes that Reaves tested the injury prior to Wednesday’s contest with the Spurs, but the medical staff ultimately decided to keep him sidelined.
Wizards‘ third-year wing Bilal Coulibaly is listed as out for Friday’s game against the Cavs, notes Josh Robbins of The Athletic. Coulibaly, who missed the team’s first four games while recovering from thumb surgery, exited the contest on Wednesday with lower left leg tightness. Robbins adds that Khris Middleton is available to play after missing the previous two games.
The Nets will be missing Cam Thomas against the Pistons on Friday after he suffered a left hamstring injury, writes Brian Lewis of the New York Post (Twitter link). Rookies Nolan Traore, Ben Saraf, and Danny Wolf are also out while on assignment with the team’s G League affiliate, though Drake Powell has been upgraded to questionable from his ankle injury. Terance Mann, who is dealing with left shoulder soreness, is probable to play.

Western Notes: Warriors, Mavs, Achiuwa, Pelicans, Reaves

November 5th, 2025 at 3:15pm CST by Luke Adams

Warriors forward Jimmy Butler exited Tuesday’s win over Phoenix in the second quarter due to lower back soreness and is listed as questionable to play in the second end of the team’s back-to-back set on Wednesday, writes Anthony Slater of ESPN.

Golden State could be missing multiple stars against Sacramento tonight. Stephen Curry has already been ruled out due to an illness that was bothering him on Tuesday, while Slater hears that Butler is more likely than not to be inactive. Draymond Green is also listed as questionable due to a right rib contusion.

The Warriors’ trio has suited up for all eight games so far this season, but head coach Steve Kerr suggested they could probably use a breather.

“I could tell on the [recent] road trip, all three of those guys looked tired,” Kerr said. “They just ran into a little bit of a wall.”

We have more from around the Western Conference:

Mavericks big man Anthony Davis, who was ruled out last week for at least two games due to a left calf strain, will remain sidelined for a third contest. He and Dereck Lively II (right knee sprain) will both miss Wednesday’s matchup with New Orleans, tweets Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com.
Precious Achiuwa signed on Tuesday with the Kings, who were seeking frontcourt help. He feels he can help them in a variety of ways. “Size. Defense. Rebounding. Toughness. Competing at a high level,” Achiuwa said in a video posted by Kings radio reporter Sean Cunningham. “Things that I do really, really well.” Achiuwa played for the Knicks last season and was signed by the Heat as a free agent but he was waived just prior to opening night. “I was just waiting,” Achiuwa said of what he did after being cut loose. “Something is always going to present itself. I’m just always staying ready.”
With the Pelicans off to a disappointing start this season, Yossi Gozlan of The Third Apron (Substack link) explores how three offseason trades might have made the 2025/26 campaign unsalvageable for New Orleans, while Keith Smith of Spotrac considers what the next steps are for the franchise. Besides the Pelicans’ trade up on draft night for Derik Queen, Gozlan singles out the Jordan Poole trade with Washington and the decision to send the Pacers’ 2026 first-round pick back to them. Smith, meanwhile, argues that it’s time for the team to move on from former No. 1 overall pick Zion Williamson.
Lakers guard Austin Reaves will miss a second consecutive game on Wednesday vs. San Antonio, having been downgraded to out due to right groin soreness, tweets Khobi Price of The Southern California News Group.

Dana Gauruder contributed to this story.

Warriors Notes: Curry, Butler, Kerr, Jackson-Davis, Post

November 2nd, 2025 at 11:28am CST by Rory Maher

The Warriors had a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s game at Indiana, only to let it slip away, eventually falling to an injury-ravaged Pacers team that picked up its first win of the season. With six minutes left, Golden State was up 104-93; the team only scored five points the rest of the game while giving up 21.

Two-time MVP Stephen Curry placed the blame on himself for the loss, according to Anthony Slater of ESPN (Twitter video link). The star guard had 24 points in 29 minutes, but shot just 8-of-23 from the field, had five turnovers and only two assists (zero rebounds), and was a game-worst minus-21.

“This is one of those look in the mirror (type games),” said Curry. “There are parts of the game where I made it too hard on all of us, with not getting getting organized, bad possessions, a little lack of energy.”

After a 4-1 start, the Warriors have dropped two straight games (the first was a loss to the Bucks playing without Giannis Antetokounmpo). Jimmy Butler expressed confidence in the team’s ability to bounce back, as Slater relays.

“We haven’t lost any momentum, we just haven’t been playing our best version of basketball,” said Butler, who recorded 20 points, seven assists, six rebounds, three steals and two blocks on Saturday. “It’s easy to get back to that — taking care of the ball, not fouling, rebounding, sharing, making shots. That’s easy. Like you said, it’s only seven games. Everybody’s still on this bus and doing what we’re supposed to be doing together.”

Here’s more on the Warriors:

Head coach Steve Kerr was frustrated after Saturday’s loss, per Slater (Twitter video link). “It feels like we just gave away two games,” Kerr said. “ … We have to find a way to be sharper. There’s always tough nights during the season. This should not have been one of them. We had the day off yesterday. We didn’t shoot around today. We had plenty of rest. But execution down the stretch was awful. And it’s a shame because our young guys played their asses off to get us the 11-point lead. Gui (Santos), Moses (Moody), (Brandin Podziemski), those guys were fantastic.”
As Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star writes (subscriber link), Trayce Jackson-Davis has been out of Golden State’s rotation to open the season, but the third-year center says he’ll be ready to produce when called upon. “It’s not necessarily that I need to show anything,” Jackson-Davis said Saturday morning at an optional shootaround. “But I need to go in and play with high energy. Rebound at a high level and run the floor. Do things of that nature. I think that’s what I bring to our team. We have a lot of older guys on our team, there will be guys who sit out back-to-backs, so when I get a chance I have to do those things and build on it from there.”
In an interview with Mark Medina of EssentiallySports, Dutch big man Quinten Post discusses his offseason, his expectations for his second season, learning from Al Horford, and more.

Warriors Notes: Horford, Kornet, Green, Markkanen, Lineups

October 24th, 2025 at 3:00pm CST by Luke Adams

The fact that Al Horford accepted a two-year, $11.7MM deal this summer to join the Warriors inspired some jealousy among multiple teams that had hoped to land the veteran center themselves, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.

“Horford was one of the best signings in the league over the summer, it broke our hearts because we wanted him badly,” an Eastern Conference executive told ESPN. “And they got him for $5 million.”

As Anthony Slater of ESPN reports, team sources say that Horford was Golden State’s “absolute 1A” target during the offseason. The team also had interest in Luke Kornet, but he signed a lucrative contract with San Antonio that was out of the Warriors’ price range, so the team was thrilled that the taxpayer mid-level exception was sufficient to land Horford.

“(General manager) Mike (Dunleavy Jr.)’s been looking for a player like him his entire time here,” head coach Steve Kerr said. “Not just a pick-and-pop guy, but a legitimate big, who can make Draymond (Green)‘s job easier, who can make Steph (Curry)‘s job easier. It’s really hard to find those guys.”

Horford is expected to be inactive on Friday on the second end of a back-to-back as part of a plan to limit his workload in his age-39 season, Windhorst notes.

We have more on the Warriors:

Within an in-depth story about Horford’s arrival and the Warriors’ approach to roster-building, Slater points out that the organization continues to balance a long-term view with a win-now philosophy, as its decision to re-sign Jonathan Kuminga instead of signing-and-trading him showed. “That’s one of the beautiful things about having this organization,” Green said. “We’re not sitting here like, ‘Yo, give away everything because we don’t give a f–k about what this thing looks like in 10 years.’ We do. And so I think it’s only fair to Mike that he’s given a future, too. It’s important to do it the way that we’ve done it. We found a good balance to where we can compete and possibly win now and yet still have that flexibility and resources for the future.”
As Slater details, that resistance to going all-in was on display last year when Green discouraged the Warriors from giving up a massive package of young players and draft picks in a trade for Jazz star Lauri Markkanen. “I’m a big fan of [Markkanen’s] game,” Green said. “But I think if you want to do something so huge you better be certain that this is THE move. You usually don’t win those things against (Jazz CEO) Danny Ainge. I look at history.”
Assistant coaches Terry Stotts and Chris DeMarco convinced Kerr to use a bigger lineup of Curry, Green, Horford, Kuminga, and Jimmy Butler down the stretch on Thursday vs. Denver, according to Slater. The group helped erase a fourth-quarter deficit and secure the victory in overtime, posting a +47.1 net rating in eight minutes on the floor together. “Where we going to score?” Kerr said. “That was my biggest concern. Could we execute [offensively]? But [Stotts and DeMarco] reminded me we have Steph and Jimmy, and they’ll find a way to score. … It was really fun to watch a group that’s never played together close a game against one of the best teams in the league.”

Warriors Notes: Kuminga, Butler, Curry, Green

October 22nd, 2025 at 4:43pm CST by Luke Adams

After free agency negotiations between the Warriors and Jonathan Kuminga dragged on for the entire offseason amid questions about the forward’s place in Golden State’s lineup (and future), Kuminga looked like a natural fit in the first game of the season on Tuesday, contributing 17 points, nine rebounds, and six assists in a victory over the Lakers.

Kuminga, who had career averages of 4.0 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game in his first four NBA seasons, said after the game that he’s committed to finding ways to help the team beyond his scoring, per Marcus Thompson II of The Athletic.

“It was just one of my goals coming into this year,” Kuminga said. “Just trying to be on the boards as much as I can. And guarding the best players. The main thing moving forward is just getting better and doing that every day. When my shots are not falling, just find a way to impact the game. Doing the small things that matter. I’m gonna have my moment when they’re gonna need me to go out and score.”

Kuminga’s most productive stretch of the night came in the third quarter, when he scored 13 of his points and made a trio of three-pointers. However, according to ESPN’s Anthony Slater, his teammates were talking after the game about a key offensive rebound late in the fourth quarter that set up a Stephen Curry dagger to seal the victory.

“That rebound is what everyone in the world has been waiting to see,” Draymond Green said. “You have that athleticism, you go make big plays. You have superstar potential, you go make big plays. Those are game-winning plays. When you ask for opportunity, you must deliver. He’s been very vocal about his opportunity, and he delivered.”

Here’s more on the Warriors:

Head coach Steve Kerr told reporters after the game that he thinks Kuminga has “really, really matured” and noted that Jimmy Butler‘s leadership has been a factor. “(Kuminga’s) had a great camp,” Kerr said, according to Thompson. “We’ve had some really good conversations. I think he has a better understanding of what we need. “I think he just has a better sense of what’s needed now compared to past years, and I think Jimmy has really helped him, too. Jimmy has talked to him a lot during camp, he’s taken him aside after practices.”
A belief that Curry’s heavy workload in the first round of last season’s playoffs contributed to the hamstring injury he sustained early in round two is one key reason why Kerr will make it a greater priority than ever to manage the star guard’s workload in 2025/26, writes Sam Amick of The Athletic. “(Warriors head of player health and performance) Rick Celebrini shared that with me,” Kerr said. “I asked him (about the possible correlation), and he said, ‘Absolutely. One hundred percent.’ So we have to try to keep the minutes down as best we can.” According to Amick, the goal within the organization is to have the team’s older veterans (Curry, Butler, and Green) top out around 34 minutes on a given night.
Although Kuminga is widely considered an in-season trade candidate, Amick suggests there aren’t many players expected to be available whom the Warriors would want to move him for. According to Amick, Pelicans sharpshooter Trey Murphy III is a name that “continues to circulate” as a potential target, but there has been no indication New Orleans wants to move Murphy, who is in the first season of a four-year contract.
Butler’s opening night performance – including a game-high 31 points – served as a reminder of why the Warriors need him, and vice versa, writes Nick Friedell of The Athletic. In Butler, the Warriors have another “alpha” who benefits from the defensive attention that Curry commands. “Everybody pays attention to Steph,” Butler said. “I got the easy job.”

Warriors Notes: Stephen Curry, Kerr, Podziemski, Seth Curry

October 18th, 2025 at 11:01pm CST by Arthur Hill

It’s becoming more common for NBA stars to keep playing effectively after their 40th birthday. That’s still nearly three years away for Stephen Curry, and the Warriors star told Mark Medina of EssentiallySports that he plans to take care of his body so there will be a choice to make when the time arrives.

“All I’ll say is that I just want the option and if I’m at a legitimate ability to be able to play,” Curry said. “I don’t know if it’ll make sense or if I would want to, whatever the case is. But if I can make the decision and the decision is not made for me, that’s a big, big point.”

Curry is still at the top of his game as he enters his 17th year in the NBA. He was a second-team All-NBA selection last season and an All-Star for the 11th time. He appeared in 70 games, averaging 24.5 points in 32.2 minutes per night, and remains one of the league’s most feared long-distance shooters, connecting at 39.7% from beyond the arc while leading the NBA in three-pointers attempted and made.

Intense offseason workouts are among the secrets to Curry’s longevity. His trainer, Brandon Payne, told Medina that this summer focused on strength training and speeding up his decision-making process.

“A lot of it is the foundational work that I’ve put in since I started,” Curry said. “One, I still love it. I’m blessed with being with a team around me that has helped take the spirit that I’m trying to put into it and give me the framework that keeps the body limber and loose and the injury prevention stuff. The rest of it is a toughness to get out there and do the work. I still love and want to keep it going.”

There’s more on the Warriors:

Steve Kerr ponders his future with the organization in an article by Anthony Slater of ESPN that examines the coach’s long, successful relationship with Curry. Kerr, who’s entering the final year of his contract, said he wouldn’t choose to leave Golden State for another coaching job. “Management and ownership would have to want it to continue,” he said. “I would have to want it to continue. Steph would have to. I’m not finishing my contract and saying, ‘All right, I think I’ll go leave for such and such job around the league somewhere. That’s not happening.”
Brandin Podziemski left Friday’s preseason finale in the first quarter with an injury, Slater tweets. He suffered a left hip contusion in a first quarter fall and had to be helped to the locker room by trainer Rick Celebrini. However, he was able to return to action in the second half, suggesting he should be fine for the start of the regular season (Twitter link).
Seth Curry, who was waived Saturday as the Warriors made their final roster cuts, can’t return until November 11 at the earliest because the team can’t fit his prorated veteran’s minimum salary under its second apron hard cap for the first few weeks of the season. That’s why he didn’t see any playing time during the preseason, per Sam Gordon of The San Francisco Chronicle. “Because he got here late and just because of the nature of everything, I’m trying to see other people as well,” Kerr said. “I’m not worried about Seth. He’s not worried about it. He’s coming along nicely.”

Al Horford Explains Celtics Exit, Hopes To Retire With Warriors

October 14th, 2025 at 11:45am CST by Luke Adams

After returning to the Celtics for a second stint in 2021, Al Horford seemed like he was on track to spend the rest of his NBA playing career in Boston. However, at age 39, the veteran big man decided this summer to leave the Celtics because “they just weren’t in a position to offer me the opportunity that I wanted,” he explained to Nick Friedell of The Athletic.

After winning a title in 2023/24 and racking up 61 more regular season wins in ’24/25, the Celtics are expected to take step backward in ’25/26 as a result of Jayson Tatum‘s postseason Achilles tear, as well as financially motivated offseason trades involving Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday. Due to its desire to shed salary, the club also wasn’t in position to offer free agents like Luke Kornet and Horford the kind of contracts they’d earned.

“There was two things there,” Horford said. “I think the financial part was a component, but more than that, it was the winning part of it, trying to contend for a championship. And I think there was a lot of things up in the air — and it just felt like they weren’t in the same, that same vision, obviously, because JT getting hurt, that takes a big toll. So I think at that point I really had to — up until then I was staying in Boston the whole time.

“… I think once that offseason happened and it started to progress, it became clear to me the team had different priorities. Obviously, getting rid of Jrue, getting rid of Kristaps. And I know it’s all salary stuff, but it was like a domino effect, and it was tough for me. It was a tough decision, but my wife and I, we prayed about it. I knew that it had to be something that was gonna be — that my family had to be on board with me for us to proceed in something like this. And that was it.”

Horford ended up signing with the Warriors on a two-year contract worth the full taxpayer mid-level exception that includes a second-year player option and a 15% trade kicker.

While the deal didn’t officially get done until October 1 due to Golden State’s desire to resolve Jonathan Kuminga‘s restricted free agency before hard-capping itself at the second tax apron, Horford knew much earlier in the summer that he’d become a Warrior. He tells Friedell that recruiting pitches from Stephen Curry and Draymond Green played a role in his decision.

“Yeah, I had communication with them, with Steph and Draymond,” Horford said. “And that was important. It happened very fast because it was at a point where they came to me and they’re like, ‘Hey, we’d love to have you,’ and all these things. And it was one of these things that, for me, looking at this fit and the potential, it just felt right. So them reaching out to me was important.”

Given the fact that his new contract includes a second year, Horford may still have multiple seasons left in the NBA. Still, his hope for now is that he’s able to finish his career in Golden State.

“I think at this point in my career, where I see everything, that is my expectation, just to be here,” he said.

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