Why Warriors remain undecided on 'tricky' starting lineup

The Golden State Warriors, who tip off their 2025-26 NBA season on Oct. 21, are still undecided on their starting lineup.

With four players competing for the starting shooting guard spot — Brandin Podziemski, Moses Moody, De'Anthony Melton and Buddy Hield — the Warriors are using the preseason to find Stephen Curry's backcourt partner. However, with the first three exhibition contests in the books, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr is still searching for answers.

Who should start for Warriors?

After the 126-113 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday, Kerr explained why the starting SG role is still up for grabs. 

"I can't say that yet," Kerr said on deciding his starting shooting guard, via ESPN's Anthony Slater. "We've got to see where we are. Brandin's going to play a ton. He's a hugely important player for us. But the starting lineup frankly is a little tricky for us, given the pieces and Al's age."

As Kerr alluded to, Al Horford, 39, joins an aging Warriors team that includes Curry (37), Draymond Green (35) and Jimmy Butler III (36) along with several role players also on the wrong side of 30 — Hield (32), Gary Payton II (32) and Seth Curry (35). 

Warriors: Oldest starting line up ever

The Warriors will become the first team in NBA history to start four players aged 35 or older when their season tips off.

Kerr knows he'll have to utilize the fresh legs of Podziemksi, Moody and Jonathan Kuminga to compensate for the aging roster. However, the veteran head coach has previously had issues trusting younger players. Last season, Podziemski and Moody saw a marginal increase in their playing time from the year before, while Kuminga, shockingly, saw a dip in his minutes (26.3 to 24.3) from the 2023-24 campaign. 

That's why it's not surprising for Kerr to use the term "tricky" while describing the pieces on his roster. On the one hand, he has to field the players he trusts the most, to give Curry a chance to compete for a title. On the other hand, he risks alienating the handful of youngsters on his roster by not unleashing their talents, thereby hindering their growth.