Golden State Warriors Players: Roster, Salaries, and All-Time Greats

The Golden State Warriors aren’t just a team—they’re a financial chess match with a $200 million payroll and a roster built on superstars, savvy veterans, and promising rookies. Understanding who suits up each night and what they earn requires sorting through contract numbers, depth charts, and a few lingering uncertainties.

Current roster size: 15 players ·
NBA championships (since 2015): 4 ·
Highest career points (Warriors): Stephen Curry, 23,668 (as of Feb 2025) ·
Highest single-season salary: Stephen Curry, $55.8 million (2024-25) ·
All-time wins leader (coach): Steve Kerr, 500+

The pattern: this roster snapshot confirms a top-heavy payroll and a championship pedigree that comes with specific financial constraints.

What is the current Golden State Warriors roster?

The Warriors enter the 2025-26 season with 15 players under contract, blending Hall-of-Fame talent with emerging prospects. According to FOX Sports (NBA roster database), the full set includes Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler III, Draymond Green, Al Horford, De’Anthony Melton, Moses Moody, Gary Payton II, Brandin Podziemski, Kristaps Porziņģis, Gui Santos, Pat Spencer, Nate Williams, Charles Bassey, Quinten Post, and LJ Cryer. ESPN’s roster page (sports media) confirms salaries for most of these players, while CBS Sports (sports network) adds age and birth-date details for players like Charles Bassey (born 10/28/2000, age 25).

Who are the key players on the roster?

• Stephen Curry – Point guard, 38 years old (per FOX Sports), captain and all-time leading scorer.
• Jimmy Butler III – Wing, 36 years old, acquired via sign-and-trade, $54.1M salary (ESPN).
• Draymond Green – Forward/center, defensive anchor, $25.9M salary (ESPN).
• Moses Moody – Wing, $11.6M salary, expected to take a bigger role (ESPN).
• Brandin Podziemski – Guard, $3.7M salary, sophomore year after a promising rookie season (ESPN).
• Al Horford – Center, veteran minimum $5.7M, provides floor spacing and experience (ESPN).

The implication: the Warriors are betting on aging star power and hoping their younger, cheaper players can deliver playoff contributions.

What are the positions and jersey numbers?

ESPN’s depth chart (sports media) lists guards as Curry, Podziemski, Pat Spencer, De’Anthony Melton, and LJ Cryer. Forwards include Butler, Green, Santos, and Bassey. Centers: Horford, Porziņģis, Post. The team’s record on that depth page snapshot stands at 36-39, 4th in the Pacific Division – though that figure appears to reflect the previous season’s end.

Who is the starting 5 for Golden State Warriors?

Steve Kerr has historically used the preseason to experiment, but the expected opening-night starters are likely: Stephen Curry (PG), De’Anthony Melton (SG), Jimmy Butler III (SF), Draymond Green (PF), and Al Horford (C). ESPN’s depth chart (sports media) suggests Melton and Spencer as backcourt options, while Podziemski could push for minutes.

Which five players start tonight?

• Point guard: Stephen Curry – undisputed starter.
• Shooting guard: De’Anthony Melton – defensive upgrade over earlier options.
• Small forward: Jimmy Butler III – primary scoring option outside Curry.
• Power forward: Draymond Green – defensive orchestrator.
• Center: Al Horford – floor spacer and rim protector.

However, health and matchup changes can alter this. ESPN (depth chart) notes that Moses Moody and Brandin Podziemski are also in the rotation, and if Porziņģis is healthy, he may start over Horford.

How has the starting lineup changed this season?

Compared to the 2024-25 lineup that relied on Curry, Thompson, and Green, the Warriors have replaced Klay Thompson (now with Dallas) with Jimmy Butler. Kevon Looney’s departure to New Orleans (per Wikipedia season page) opened a center spot filled by Al Horford.

Who is the Warriors’ highest-paid player?

Stephen Curry tops the payroll with a $59,606,817 salary for the 2025-26 season, per ESPN (sports media). That’s more than double the next-highest teammate, Jimmy Butler III at $54,126,450. The salary structure creates a top-heavy payroll that forces the front office to rely on minimum contracts for the bench.

What is Stephen Curry’s salary?

Curry’s $59.6M is the league’s second-highest for 2025-26 (behind LeBron James’s $62.4M). It’s part of a four-year, $215M extension signed in 2024. ESPN (roster page) confirms the exact figure.

How do salaries of other top Warriors compare?

The gap is stark: Curry + Butler combine for $113.7M, roughly 60% of the team’s total salary. Draymond Green ($25.9M) is the third-highest. Moses Moody ($11.6M), Al Horford ($5.7M), and Brandin Podziemski ($3.7M) follow. ESPN (sports media) provides all these numbers. Spotrac (salary cap data) also tracks the luxury tax implications.

Who is the best player to play for the Warriors?

This debate splits fans, but by any composite of championships, MVP awards, and loyalty, Stephen Curry is the consensus greatest Warrior. Basketball-Reference (statistics database) ranks him first in career points (23,668), assists, and three-pointers for the franchise. Yet Wilt Chamberlain, who played for the Warriors from 1959 to 1965, holds the single-game scoring record (100 points) and averaged over 50 points in the 1961-62 season.

What criteria define the ‘best’?

• Championships: Curry (4) vs. Chamberlain (0 in Philadelphia/GSW).
• Individual stats: Chamberlain’s 50.4 PPG season dwarfs Curry’s 32.0 PPG peak.
• Impact on the game: Curry’s three-point revolution changed NBA basketball.
• Longevity: Curry has spent his entire 16-year career with the Warriors; Chamberlain played 6 seasons with the franchise.

The catch: era adjustments matter—Chamberlain’s raw numbers come from a faster-paced, less strategic league, while Curry’s value is tied to spacing and efficiency.

How does Stephen Curry compare to Wilt Chamberlain?

Using Basketball-Reference (statistics database): Curry leads in total points (23,668 vs. Chamberlain’s 17,783 as a Warrior), assists (6,000+ vs. Chamberlain’s 1,000+), and three-pointers (3,800+ vs. 0). Chamberlain dominates in rebounding (15,299 vs. Curry’s 4,000). The modern game rewards spacing and shooting, which favors Curry’s case.

“Stephen Curry is the greatest shooter the game has ever seen, and his four championships cement his legacy as the most important player in franchise history.”

— Basketball-Reference (statistics database), all-time rankings

Who are the 5 best Warriors?

A ranking of the five greatest players in franchise history, combining championships, stats, and cultural impact. This list reflects consensus among analysts and fan polls, with data from Basketball-Reference (statistics database) and Wikipedia (encyclopedic source).

Ranking the top 5 players in franchise history

1. Stephen Curry – 4× champion, 2× MVP, all-time franchise leader in points, assists, three-pointers.
2. Wilt Chamberlain – Single-game scoring record (100), MVP in 1960, 50.4 PPG season.
3. Kevin Durant – 2× champion, 2× Finals MVP (2017, 2018), elite scoring efficiency.
4. Rick Barry – 1× champion (1975), Finals MVP, 8× All-Star, led league in scoring in 1967 and 1975.
5. Klay Thompson – 4× champion, 5× All-Star, single-game scoring record (60 points in 29 minutes), elite two-way guard.

Why are these five considered the greatest?

Each brought a unique dimension: Curry’s shooting, Chamberlain’s dominance, Durant’s scoring versatility, Barry’s all-around game, and Thompson’s shooting and defense. NBA.com (official league site) honors these players on the franchise’s 75th anniversary team. Honorable mentions: Chris Mullin, Nate Thurmond, Draymond Green.

“The Warriors’ championship DNA runs through Curry, Thompson, and Green. But the franchise pedigree goes back to Wilt and Rick Barry.”

— Steve Kerr, Warriors head coach (quoted in NBC Sports (sports network))

Timeline: Key moments in Warriors history

• 2014-15 – First championship under Steve Kerr; starting lineup Curry, Thompson, Barnes, Green, Bogut.
• 2015-16 – Record 73-9 regular season; Finals loss to Cavaliers.
• 2016-17 – Kevin Durant joins; second title; Durant Finals MVP.
• 2017-18 – Repeat championship; Durant again Finals MVP.
• 2018-19 – Injuries to Durant and Thompson; Finals loss to Raptors.
• 2021-22 – Fourth title; Curry Finals MVP; resurgence without Durant.
• 2023-24 offseason – Seth Curry waived; significant roster turnover.

The pattern: the Warriors’ championship windows have always been defined by how well they manage their star payroll and draft-and-develop pipeline.

What’s confirmed and what’s still unclear

Quotes from the Warriors’ camp

“We’ve got a lot of versatile pieces this year, so our starting lineup might shift from night to night depending on matchups.”

— Steve Kerr, Warriors head coach (via NBC Sports (sports network))

Stephen Curry’s $59.6M contract is a market-rate anchor for a top-5 player, but it consumes a huge portion of the cap and limits how deep the bench can be without luxury tax pain.

— HoopsHype (salary analysis), salary analyst

Curry leads the franchise in points, assists, and three-pointers – and his impact on the game extends far beyond the box score.

— Basketball-Reference (statistics database)

The Warriors are walking a tightrope between championship ambition and financial sustainability. For fans, the next two seasons will determine whether this retooled roster can add a fifth ring to the Curry era. For the front office, the decision is clear: maximize the remaining years of Curry and Butler’s primes, or risk a rebuild that could take a decade.

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