Stock Up, Stock Down: Four Warriors to Watch as the All-Star Break Approaches
We are now nearly one month away from the NBA All-Star break, and the picture begins to clear up. Through roughly 40 games, teams can no longer hide their faces behind early season excuses. Identities have formed, and for the Golden State Warriors, a few things have become evident as we near the midpoint of the 2025-2026 campaign. In this article, I will discuss four players and how they’ve influenced Golden State’s identity or have failed to make their mark as expected.
Players trending up: Stephen Curry
What is an army without their leader, a herd of sheep without their shepherd? That’s the best parallel to describe the dynamic between the Warriors and their future Hall-of-Famer. In season 17, Curry averages a healthy 28.7 points-per-game, and his shooting volume has been indicative of just how much weight he holds for this team. This year, he’s shooting the second most three-point and free throw attempts, with 12.1 and 5.2 respectively. Curry has had the keys to this offense for a while, but will need some consistent help if the Warriors want to make a run in the playoffs. In a season of ups and downs, we can look at the greatest shooter of all time as one of the first bright spots.
Players trending up: De’Anthony Melton
I could throw in a very unoriginal pick of Jimmy Butler in this spot, but I want to highlight a role player instead. Melton has had a difficult last few years, with two season-ending injuries and a ton of time spent in rehab to get back to the court. So far in this campaign, he has taken full advantage of his opportunities as a two-way threat, averaging the best offensive rating next to Curry, 124.2 of any teammate. We’ve seen Melton be in a few lineups to close games out, showing just how valuable he can be with the toolkit he provides. I believe that, according to what head coach Steve Kerr sees and knows, the former Philadelphia 76er will go as far as his body takes him. Down the stretch, I expect to see his minutes increase, and the Warriors will look towards him for perimeter defense as well as the scoring spurs he’s shown a capability to string together.
Players trending down: Jonathan Kuminga
Perhaps the most unsurprising pick of them all, Kuminga has had an utterly disappointing 2025. The former seventh overall pick of the 2021 NBA Draft has not played a game since Phoenix in mid-December, with most of his inactivity related to a coach’s decision. Though it appeared that the disconnect between himself and the organization had been left behind after a summer-long contract saga, things haven’t actually sailed smoothly. Following the Butler trade, Kuminga’s role has shrunk, with many questioning how he schematically fits in this new-look offense. Falling out of favor in the rotation has led to people wondering what his future will be at the Bay, but he has certainly not benefited in any way through Golden State’s first 40 games.
Players trending down: Brandin Podziemski
Podziemski is an interesting case, but not because of what he has done, rather what he hasn’t done. Following a decent sophomore campaign, I expected ‘Podz’ to take another leap in his progression as a young star. After all, he was selected in both 2024 and 2025 to represent his team in the Rising Stars game during the mid-season break. However, the former first-round pick of Golden State has seemed to have plateaued, without really improving in key offensive categories like points, assists, and field goal percentage. Podziemski has shown flashes of what he can provide, like his 21-8-7 stat line in a win over Chicago in December on over 50 percent shooting, but nights like these have come far in between for the Warrior guard. Whereas Golden State should rely on him more, he has just become an okay contributor off the bench who doesn’t really give much defensively.
