The Warriors entered the 2026/27 season with several goals they needed to achieve in order to achieve the goals the franchise has set for itself. Entering Monday’s games, they were fifth in the West at 7-3 thanks to a seven-game winning streak.
While some preseason goals are naturally unfulfilled, others are said to have begun to materialize Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Areawhich breaks down how each of his six preseason goals is going.
One of the keys for Poole was to finish the season with a top-10 defensive rating, and while that goal looked a long shot during Golden State’s few games, it has become the right thing to do lately. They have the sixth-best defensive rating in the league over their last five games, notes Poole Draymond GreenThe game was a key part of why they were so successful.
The only troubling part of their profile is their transition defense, as the Warriors are tied for the fourth-most points against the Hornets, Bulls and Clippers. This is served in Poole’s D for another purpose: to break the habit of constantly turning it over.
We’ve got more Warriors news and notes:
- Another target on Poole’s list was a rookie forward Yaksel Landeborg to make the first team all-rookie, a goal he gives an A through 10 games. Not only has the 24-year-old looked like a lock for an All-Rookie spot, he’s been the team’s second-best player for much of the early season, helping them stay afloat with his versatile offensive play.
- Will Richard taking his time with a decision on how to approach the thumb UCL tear that was announced on Sunday, The Athletic’s Nick Friedel reports (via Twitter). Instead, he will meet with doctors over the next few days to determine if he can survive the injury with the splint or if he will need surgery. coach Steve Kerr is hoping for a quick turnaround for the young guard, according to Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports (via Twitter). “We hope he can pull through this and we’ll know more in a few days when the swelling goes downKerr said.
- It was informed on Sunday, for which the Warriors will continue to seek trade partners Kristaps Porzingiswho is expected to be open to a buyout if the team trades for him for some relief. Meanwhile, the Warriors are withholding payment from Porzingis, a decision the big man made. Despite the salary cap loss, the Latvian center would be able to keep about half of his salary without returning to the team, but that will change if the Warriors make the playoffs, which would still cost Porzingis a significant portion of his remaining salary, explains Yossi Gozlan for The Third Apron (Link to substack). Withholding also carries another penalty, as a player who has been withheld for 30 days may lose the opportunity to become a free agent and sign with another team.