It is no secret that the Golden State Warriors will enter the season with one of the oldest starting lineups in the NBA. They are clearly aware of this fact, which is why it seems like they're already creating contingency plans to account for it.
Stephen Curry is 37-years-old, Draymond Green is 35, Jimmy Butler is 36, and Al Horford, despite being a great pick-up for the team, is 39. Those four guys bring a wealth of experience with them, including a ton of playoff experience, but they are also very prone to injury at this stage in their careers.
Warriors know that rest is going to be key to success in 2025 season
It seems head coach Steve Kerr and the Warriors brass is already factoring injury and rest into the equation this season per Warriors reporter Nick Friedell of The Athletic.
"There's a reason why Steve Kerr keeps saying these guys are going to be out. The Horfords and the Draymonds and the Stephs and the Jimmys. They know they're not gonna be able to stay healthy. They know they're gonna take some nights off. I would caution any fan who sees some kind of drought in the first few months if all these guys can't stay together. It's all about April. That is what matters," Friedell said on 95.7 The Game.
"There's a reason why Steve Kerr keeps saying these guys are going to be out. The Horfords and the Draymonds and the Stephs and the Jimmys. They know they're not gonna be able to stay healthy. They know they're gonna take some nights off.
— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) October 16, 2025
"I would caution any fan who sees some… pic.twitter.com/K7jujcwM0q
This is a wise warning from someone who follows the team closely. In any NBA season, getting lucky with injuries and knowing how best to manage your players is of great importance, but that is only going to be more true for Golden State.
Making it to the playoffs in one piece is the number one objective for the Warriors this season. Sure, in a perfect world the team stays remarkably healthy and they win something like 63 games if the rosier predictions are to be believed.
A much more realistic outcome is the Warriors deal with injuries to their starting lineup and have to patch things together to ensure they make it into the playoffs. With a team that has as much experience as the Warriors do, seeding matters much less than it does for other teams. Curry, Green, and Butler know how to win on the road and are not afraid to do so.
The main trick, which is going to fall in part upon head coach Steve Kerr, is ensuring those guys make it to the playoffs as healthy as possible. That means performing that delicate balancing act of making sure they play and can establish a chemistry together, while also resting them and giving younger guys an opportunity to stand up.
Sure, resting the stars could cost them a few regular season wins, but it could pay huge dividends if the team makes the playoffs. It seems clear the Warriors are already anticipating this balancing act, so it will be interesting to see if Kerr's maneuvering works out and the team can enter the postseason with all of the team's key players in relatively good health.