It's important to not put too much stock into the happenings of the preseason, especially when it comes to teams whose rosters are already largely set in stone. For the Golden State Warriors, though, there's enough uncertainty here that it's worth monitoring a number of storylines as they kick off preseason action on Oct. 4.
Not only will they have a number of players battling for spots on the roster, but they also have numerous veterans they'll ask to play new roles in 2026-27. It seems as though the offensive scheme is shifting, and Golden State brought in Frank Vogel as an assistant coach this offseason to re-shape their approach on the defensive end of the court.
The groundwork for all of that will be laid during training camp and the preseason, but those aren't the only developments fans should be watching for as the Warriors' play through their six-game preseason slate. There's health and rotational concerns that should command some attention as well.
3 storylines to monitor as the Warriors enter their six-game preseason slate
1. De'Anthony Melton needs to look comfortable and confident with the ball in his hands
There was a time last season where it seemed like Melton was going to far out-perform the $3 million player option he had with the Warriors in 2026-27, putting him quickly out of reach of the organization when he inevitably hit free agency. To an extent, his performance obviously did put him on more solid footing. But he was clearly struggling with some issues towards the end of last season that limited his production and, ultimately, funneled him back to the Warriors on another two-year deal.
He averaged just 10.5 points and shot just 38.7% from the field over his final 14 games of 2025-26, and it was revealed this week that he had surgery on both of his thumbs this offseason to address whatever was ailing him. Especially if he's going to start next to Stephen Curry in the backcourt, the Warriors desperately need Melton to operate as a consistent scorer and perimeter shooter.
He can ease some of that anxiety with a strong shooting performance in training camp.
2. How the Warriors ultimately handle their pairings of Draymond Green, Yaxel Lendeborg, and Gui Santos
Steve Kerr said yesterday that Santos is "right in the mix" for a starting spot in the Warriors' frontcourt. With Kristaps Porzingis' availability in question to start the season, perhaps that's more of an and question rather than an or— assuming Golden State is willing to give Green some minutes at the five through the early portions of the season.
But once preseason action kicks off, it will be important to watch how Kerr looks to pair Lendeborg, Green, and Santos in game situations. This will be a time for Kerr to experiment with different looks for the rotation, so it's not wise to put too much weight on the actual minutes these players take on. But if we see an abundance of Santos and Lendeborg pairings, it could indicate that Kerr will look to lean into their perimeter shooting and more diverse offensive skill sets early in the season.
Santos doesn't necessarily need to start for him to take on a major role, or even to play extensive minutes next to Lendeborg. But it'll be worth monitoring the extent to which Kerr is looking to maximize those players within the Warriors' new offensive scheme.
3. Kristaps Porzingis' health and availability
This is possibly the least exciting on this list, but it's likely the most important development to watch for. Porzingis has only been ruled out, currently, from the first week of training camp with an undisclosed health issue. But anytime a player with Porzingis' injury and availability history suffers a setback like this, there's reason to be anxious.
This team needs Porzingis anchoring the starting center spot for as many games as possible if they're even going to come close to their regular-season ceiling. If he's healthy and clicking, he has the perimeter-shooting and rim-protecting skill set to serve as both a temporary second offensive option and a real defensive anchor for this rotation. Any missed time, especially at the start of the season, could leave Golden State struggling to put together any sort of varied offensive attack.
Things are always up in the air with Porzingis, so this is hardly a surprising development. But the sooner he can return, the more promising the start to Golden State's season will be.
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