Projecting Warriors' Starting Lineup and Rotation After NBA Draft—Position by Position

Among the rotation questions explored is whether Lendeborg will start immediately

Yaxel Lendeborg | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

By drafting Yaxel Lendeborg and re-signing Al Horford, the Golden State Warriors have bolstered their rotation for the 2026-27 season.

But did either move affect their projected starting lineup?

Below, we get into their first five and what the rotation will look like.

Note that Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody were not included in this projection due to their knee injuries.

Projected Starting Lineup

PG: Stephen Curry
SG: Brandin Podziemski
SF: Gui Santos
PF: Draymond Green
C: Kristaps Porzingis

Porzingis is an unrestricted free agent, but he's likely to be re-signed. Draymond Green has a player option he must decide on by June 29.

The biggest question is whether Lendeborg can take the starting job from Santos. I have Santos claiming the opening night starting role after averaging 15.4 points over the last 31 games of the 2025-26 season.

Predicting Key Free-Agent Additions

The Warriors will reportedly try to sign Anfernee Simons or Collin Sexton with the mid-level exception.

My guess is they will land Sexton, and he will mostly play backup point guard, though he has the shooting ability to be the 2-guard in some lineups.

After securing their backup point guard, they will target a wing who excels as an on-ball defender.

Keon Ellis would a perfect fit.

Would Ellis come aboard for a veteran minimum contract? Or would the Warriors have to create enough cap room to use some of the non-taxpayer mid-level exception on him?

I'll optimistically predict that he ends up a Warrior here, but if he signs a deal out of Golden State's price range, I still think the Dubs will target a player like him for a rotation spot until Butler and/or Moody return.

Rotation by Minutes Distribution

PGs: Curry 32, Sexton 20
SGs: Podz 30, Richard 14
SF: Santos 28, Ellis 20
PF: Green 28, Lendeborg 20
C: Porzingis 28, Horford 20

This is a 10-man rotation when everyone but Butler and Moody are healthy.

One of the biggest issues with the starting lineup is point-of-attack defense. Podz has typically been an off-ball defender, and Santos doesn't move laterally well enough to defend explosive guards.

If that becomes a big enough issue, the Warriors could go with a starting lineup that features Will Richard, Sexton or Ellis to defend the opposing team's best guard so Curry doesn't have to.

Green and Porzingis seem like locks to be starting on opening night. If Green goes through another slump like he did in the second half of last season, he could be in jeopardy of losing his spot so that both Santos and Lendeborg can start.

The Warriors will add a center with one of their last three roster spots who can fill in for Horford or Porzingis when they are out. This player will probably get much more run that their other end-of-the-bench pieces, so the Dubs need to make sure they make the right choice. They will probably get said player with a veteran minimum contract, which means Quinten Post and Charles Bassey will be options.