Warriors, Al Horford, Warriors starting unit, Steve Kerr
Getty
Head coach Steve Kerr of the Golden State Warriors laughs from the bench with coaches (L-R) Seth Cooper, Terry Stotts, Jerry Stackhouse and Kris Weems during the second half at the Delta Center on January 28, 2026 in Salt Lake City, Utah.
The Golden State Warriors have tried out 22 different starting combinations through 49 games thus far. While injuries have contributed to the chopping and changing, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has also tinkered with various lineups, especially in the frontcourt alongside Draymond Green.
In Wednesday’s 140-124 road win over the Utah Jazz, Kerr tried out the lineup of Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Moses Moody, Al Horford and Draymond Green for just the second time this season, and it yielded another successful outcome. After the win, Kerr confirmed he plans to stick with Horford in the starting unit, now that the big man is no longer under a minutes restriction and can play at least 24 minutes.
Anthony Slater
Steve Kerr said he is leaning toward keeping Al Horford as the starting center. Minutes limit is up to 24. Kerr likes him next to Draymond. He’s started last two games he’s been available.
Al Hoford Finally Unleashed?
When the Warriors signed Al Horford last season, the initial expectation was for the 2024 NBA Champion to start alongside Draymond Green from the get-go. However, Kerr began the season with Green as the small-ball center, with Quetin Post and Horford coming off the bench. A few weeks into the season, he inserted Post into the starting unit and stuck with the change for a considerable period.
Post, who has started 32 of the 49 games thus far, could be tasked with a starting role every now and again when Horford, 39, misses games for rest. Due to Horford’s age and lingering injuries, the Warriors have held him out of back-to-backs. However, it appears Horford will be a lot more available going forward.
“Now that he can play 24 minutes, which is where his restriction is, I feel comfortable starting him and still being able to close with him,” Kerr said of Horford after Wednesday’s win, via NBC Sports Bay Area.
“We can work the math on that. And it’s nice having him with Draymond [Green] to start the game defensively. I like what I’m seeing from that group.”
Giannis, Warriors Trade Buzz
The good health news about Horford, who had eight assists and three blocks in Wednesday’s win, comes amid strong trade buzz surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Warriors ahead of the Feb. 5 NBA trade deadline.
Per multiple insiders, the Warriors are the most aggressive suitor for the 2021 NBA Finals MVP, and are willing to surrender all their future 1st-round draft picks through 2032, along with their young assets Jonathan Kuminga and Brandin Podziemski.
The Warriors have reached out to the Bucks to express firm interest in Giannis and are prepared to make a "substantial" offer regardless of his calf injury and unclear timetable, per @ESPN.
A "temperature check" would be needed to gauge Antetokounmpo's interest in a partnership… pic.twitter.com/PHd34OJXv9
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) January 29, 2026
“League sources told ESPN that the Warriors have contacted the Bucks in the past week and expressed their firm interest in Antetokounmpo and their willingness to put a substantial offer on the table regardless of his calf strain and undetermined return timetable,” ESPN’s Anthony Slater reported on Thursday.
The report added that the Warriors have coveted Antetokounmpo for a decade and view the Milwaukee Bucks star as their “dream” pairing next to Stephen Curry.
Unlike the New York Knicks and Miami Heat — the other two aggressive Giannis trade suitors — the Warriors are armed with at least four tradeable first-round picks and multiple pick swaps, giving them a distinct advantage. However, it all comes down to how the Warriors view Kuminga and Podz as building blocks, per some insiders.