The Golden State Warriors have a surplus of talent in the backcourt, yet Stephen Curry continues to need help creating for others. It's a truth that doesn't necessarily offset the value of Golden State's growing list of rising forces, but the the void it leaves remains impossible to ignore.
A year after trading for Dennis Schröder and only two seasons after attempting to fix the issue with Chris Paul, the Warriors still need a guard who can consistently create when Curry isn't on the court.
Golden State certainly has playmaking depth in a general sense. Curry is flanked by All-NBA teammates Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green, who have carved out legacies as two of the best facilitators at their respective positions.
The Warriors' superstar trio needs relief, however, and successfully providing it typically requires a team to have players who can run the offense when the stars aren't on the court.
Golden State has no shortage of quality scorers and shooters, particularly in the backcourt. Moses Moody, Brandin Podziemski, Will Richard, and Pat Spencer have all showed out at times this season, with each even beginning to show what appears to be nightly value.
Unfortunately, without a player who can create cohesion, the Warriors are struggling to toe the .500 line and are dangerously close to losing their season before it can begin.
Warriors still need a playmaking guard to help Stephen Curry
The Warriors currently rank eighth in the NBA in assists per game and No. 7 in assists per 100 possessions. That seemingly implies that this isn't quite as much of an issue as it may seem, as the team is creating offense as a cohesive unit.
Despite the appeal of the playmaking statistics, the Warriors currently rank No. 21 in offensive rating and No. 27 in field goal percentage.
The issue has been compounded by the fact that Curry has embraced more of a scoring guard role than that of a balanced playmaker. He's averaging a career-low 3.9 assists per game and is seemingly benefiting from the approach, as he's increased his scoring average by 5.1 points per game and his slash line from .448/.397/.933 to .484/.412/.907 between 2024-25 and 2025-26.
To adequately support Curry and perhaps even take pressure off of Butler, who's second on the Warriors behind Green at 5.0 assists per game, finding a high-level playmaker will be essential.
It's unlikely that the Warriors will go after high-profile players such as Ja Morant or Trae Young, as the fit simply wouldn't be ideal. It's also unclear if the team would be willing to reunite with Paul given his age and the unfortunate truth that the 2023-24 campaign left something to be desired.
It would behoove the Warriors to explore the market, however, and see if players such as Isaiah Collier, TJ McConnell, or Jamal Shead might be available by Feb. 5.
There's some reason for hope within the rotation, as well, as Spencer is averaging a team-high 7.2 assists per 36 minutes. Perhaps he'll continue turning a corner and emerge as the player the Warriors desperately need in a role that requires them to carry the heavy burden of creating for others while maintaining ideal off-ball value.
Regardless of how the Warriors manage the feat, they simply can't afford to go past the trade deadline without addressing the need for playmakers in the backcourt.