The Athletic NBA Daily: Can the Warriors Be Fixed? Morning Shoot Around w/ Marcus Thompson

Date: January 21, 2026
Hosts: Dave DuFour, Zena Keita, Esfandiar Baraheni
Guest: Marcus Thompson

Episode Overview

This Morning Shoot Around dives into the present and future of the Golden State Warriors following a tough season marred by injury and instability. Marcus Thompson joins the crew to dissect whether the Warriors' current roster is salvageable, the development issues around Jonathan Kuminga, and potential strategies before the trade deadline. The episode also covers league-wide surprises, the evolution of various teams, and the psychological hurdles of young players transitioning to the NBA.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Olympic Figure Skating Cold Open (01:42–06:38)

• Marcus Thompson brings unexpected energy with an extended analogy, comparing the athletic feats in figure skating (“Quad God” Ilya Malinin) to NBA athleticism.
  • Memorable Quote:
    Marcus: “Imagine this: Steph Curry dribbling down the court... and he does four revolutions in the air before dunking. That’s figure skating, baby.” (02:10)
  • Humorful banter about unexpected similarities between sports and the unseen physical/mental toughness in figure skating.

2. Kuminga’s Breakout and Warriors’ Offensive Struggles (06:38–10:57)

• With Jimmy Butler out, Jonathan Kuminga's re-emergence is examined.
  • Marcus claims vindication for calling Kuminga to start pre-deadline.
  • Quote:
    Marcus: “21 minutes, 21 points... this dude be knowing some stuff.” (07:47)
• The Warriors’ need for another player who can attack from midrange is emphasized; Kuminga momentarily fills that gap.

3. Why Kuminga Wasn’t Used Earlier? Systemic & Psychological Factors (09:57–15:49)

• Marcus explains Kuminga's slow rise—previous roles limited by winning timelines and playing next to Steph Curry (“He just got dropped into his NBA career next to arguably the greatest offensive weapon of all time.” (10:57))
• Warriors demand high in-game discipline from youth; minimal margin for mistakes due to their winning culture.
• Insightful Quote:
  Marcus: “Jonathan Kaminga’s baptism into the NBA was, ‘If you turn it over, you’re sitting down.’” (11:12)

4. Talent vs. Fit and the Role of Confidence (13:07–21:35)

• Discussion shifts to inherent friction between Kuminga’s individual talents vs. the Warriors’ scheme.
• The conversation dives deep into how player usage, development, and confidence intertwine in winning organizations.
• Notable Quote:
  Marcus: “The most important thing an NBA player will ever have is confidence... He’s never been able to build that.” (19:32–20:11)

5. Developmental Challenges for Young NBA Players (22:09–24:52)

• Zena and Marcus discuss the mentality instilled by non-traditional pathways like G League Ignite.
• Kuminga and similar players missed out on college “old school” development, facing greater mental challenges upon arrival.
  • Quote:
    Zena: “There was a psychological aspect... they were the pinnacle of what NBA development is. They didn’t have a Tom Izzo or Coach K.” (22:31)

6. Post-Butler State of the Warriors & Trade Market Outlook (25:33–27:01)

• Dave asks if the Warriors are destined for the trade market or running with their young core.
• Marcus: “The Warriors are just on the anti-hustle program. If they feel like they’re getting hustled, they won’t do it. That’s just who they are.” (25:48)
• The importance of explaining any tank/rebuild decision to Steph Curry, given his stature.

7. Should the Warriors Consider Trading Steph Curry? (26:47–32:31)

• Panel agrees: ABSOLUTELY NOT.
• Marcus: “You don’t trade the GOAT. You don’t do it.” (29:18)
• Beyond basketball, Curry fills the $2B Chase Center, sustains the Warriors’ empire—his presence is irreplaceable.
• Funny exchange about market size, legacy teams, and why no star would want the “bag” in Charlotte over Golden State.

8. Assessing the Western Conference Contenders (32:54–35:57)

• Top teams all have “high ceilings, surprisingly low floors.”
• Marcus: “They all have high ceilings, but surprisingly low floors… Lakers games can look so unserious… Minnesota, Houston, Lakers a step below Denver and OKC.” (33:18)
• Nuggets praised for resilience and depth, even when Jokic is out.

9. San Antonio Spurs, Wemby, and the Championship Growth Arc (35:05–40:23)

• Spurs compared to the early Warriors: “They just want so badly to experience love, but you know they won’t understand it until they get heartbroken.” (35:37)
• Wemby’s early basketball heartbreak is a necessary developmental stage. Playoff pain builds future championship teams.

10. Teams (and Players) We’re Sleeping On (40:47–49:49)

• Hosts each tab a “slept on” contender:
  • Andrew/Xena: Detroit Pistons — deeper, grittier, more flexible than credited. “They have a little bit more grit... maybe their defense is enough.” (42:19)
  • Marcus: Warriors (jokingly, with Kuminga’s resurgence also mentioned).
  • Xena: Celtics — Jalen Brown’s MVP-level improvement.
  • Marcus: Nuggets — “They just don’t seem exciting, but what they’ve put together... they have the best player in basketball.” (45:15)
  • Praise for the transformation of Aaron Gordon as a shooter and do-it-all forward.
  • Dave: Suns — “They're one of the best new stories in the NBA... we really wrote them off.” (50:05)
  • Phoenix’s status as a free agent destination highlighted.

11. The Wolves Rollercoaster & Role Player Psychology (51:33–54:13)

• Timberwolves labeled the “most disappointing” team; squander games to weaker opponents due to role player overreach.
  • Marcus: “Championship teams have the best role players... but sometimes these dudes think they are the star, and that’s when they lose to the Jazz.” (53:38)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Kuminga’s confidence and handling:
  “The most important thing ever an NBA player will ever have is confidence... he’s never been able to build that.” — Marcus Thompson (19:32–20:11)

• On Warriors’ long-term strategy:
  “Whatever value you get from trading Steph is going to be less than having Steph.” — Marcus Thompson (29:18–29:45)

• On league-wide parity:
  “We don’t live in a dynasty environment. ... The parity in the league, it makes it so that it’s possible this Spurs team could make the finals this year.” — Dave DuFour (37:44–37:59)

• On the heartbreak needed for contender evolution:
  “There’s something that happens at the bottom of the basketball pit. When you hit that bottom, it pushes you to another level... that’s just what they [Spurs] need.” — Marcus Thompson (36:26–37:12)

• Aaron Gordon as an example of player development:
  “He has more years [shooting] under 30% than over 40%, but now ... if he’s open, it’s bucket. Like, to me, anybody who can’t shoot... Aaron Gordon has proven this thing.” — Marcus Thompson (48:42–49:16)

Timestamps for Major Segments

• Figure skating intro + analogy: 01:42–06:38
• Kuminga breakout, Warriors’ issues: 06:38–10:57
• Systemic issues with Kuminga’s development: 10:57–15:49
• Talent vs. fit & the role of player confidence: 13:07–21:35
• Developmental challenges for G-League Ignite players: 22:09–24:52
• Warriors’ trade market prospects: 25:33–27:01
• Should the Warriors ever trade Steph?: 26:47–32:31
• Western Conference overview: 32:54–35:57
• Wemby/Spurs developmental arc: 35:05–40:23
• Teams being under-discussed / “Sleepers” picks: 40:47–49:49
• Timberwolves and role player psychology: 51:33–54:13

Tone & Style

• Conversational: Casual, sharp, witty debates with plenty of basketball culture references and humor.
• Analytical: Deep dives into developmental psychology, Xs and Os, front office motivations.
• Candid: Personal takes, pointed opinions, and inside references to team dynamics and league politics.

Summary Takeaways

• The Warriors are at a crossroads: short on offensive solutions with Kuminga emerging but hampered by stunted development and loss of Jimmy Butler.
• The gap between talent and role fit, especially in winning organizations, often suppresses the growth of young players with star ambitions.
• League parity is the new norm—there is no clear favorite, and every contender has real weaknesses.
• Young teams like Detroit, San Antonio, and even the underappreciated Nuggets are primed to surprise, contingent on how their emotional and tactical growth tracks through adversity.
• Steph Curry’s value to the Warriors and the NBA is mythic—trading him is unfathomable due to basketball, business, and cultural reasons.
• Player confidence, developmental context, and organizational patience are underappreciated keys to building and sustaining contenders.

If you missed this episode, you missed blend of insight, humor, and hard truths about the NBA’s most confounding teams and brightest young stars.