Three guys who have a chance to start for the Warriors this year.
Although Klay Thompson left the Warriors, they made some wise additions this offseason to reload. With a fresh blend of young people and veterans, an unexpected person might rise up.
After 11 seasons as a starter for the Golden State Warriors, Klay Thompson is currently a member of the Dallas Mavericks. Though by no means the only, his departure was the most significant shift for the Warriors this offseason. The squad from the previous season also lost Chris Paul and Dario Saric, who were replaced by Buddy Hield, Kyle Anderson, and De’Anthony Melton in a redesigned depth chart with lofty goals.
The loss of Thompson creates a void in the Warriors starting lineup, but Steph Curry and Draymond Green’s futures are uncertain for the duration of the campaign due to Wiggins’ troubles and the piecemeal approach to the center position.
The loss of Thompson creates a void in the Warriors starting lineup, but Steph Curry and Draymond Green’s futures are uncertain for the duration of the campaign due to Wiggins’ troubles and the piecemeal approach to the center position.
3. Buddy Hield
On paper, the Warriors’ backcourt is locked in with Steph Curry and second-year guard Brandin Podziemski as the starters. The latter started 28 games as a rookie, emerging as a key rotation piece by the end of the season. He averaged 9.2 points, 5.8 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game, shooting 38.5 percent from beyond the arc. It’s telling that Golden State refused to include Podziemski in a trade package for Markkanen and they clearly value him as a foundational piece going forward.
If Curry and Podziemski are both healthy it’s hard to see either being supplanted as starters, even if Podz struggles at some point. However, Hield played a lot of 3 for the Indiana Pacers the past two seasons, working next to Tyrese Haliburton and Bennedict Mathurin. A three-guard lineup with Hield, Curry and Podziemski is a look Steve Kerr might use a lot this season, with the combination of shooting and movement making up for anything they might be giving up on defense. And if Andrew Wiggins continues to struggle, it’s not hard to imagine that lineup eventually becoming the Warriors’ starting group.
2. Trayce Jackson-Davis
Jackson-Davis may not need to work his way into the starting lineup — there’s a non-zero chance he ends up as the starter from Day 1, even if Draymond Green or Kevon Looney end up playing more minutes at the 5 than him. As a rookie, Jackson-Davis started 16 games and was incredibly productive when given a chance. He averaged just 16.6 minutes per game across 68 appearances, but pro-rate his stats per 36 minutes and you get 17.2 points, 10.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists and 2.4 blocks.
1. Jonathan Kuminga
Honestly, it would be a huge disappointment for the Warriors if Kuminga is not firmly entrenched as the starter by the end of the season. His potential upside is the biggest x-factor for the team this season and if they have any hope of crashing the party of Western Conference contenders they need him to be a breakout star.
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