LeBron James’ call to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers on Friday didn’t leave the Golden State Warriors with much to celebrate, but it did clear the runway for one of their brightest young pieces.
That opening belongs to Yaxel Lendeborg. With James out of the picture, the rookie now has a much cleaner path to a starting job when next season begins, and that’s about as good as it gets for Warriors fans in a stretch that otherwise feels pretty thin on optimism.
Lendeborg has already done plenty to earn the buzz. He was named Summer League MVP, helped Golden State win the title and has quickly become the biggest source of hope around the franchise after going 11th overall in last month’s draft.
ESPN’s Anthony Slater reported earlier in the week that Lendeborg had passed along a message from Kerr saying the 23-year-old could start early next season. James landing in Golden State would have complicated that picture fast, likely pushing Lendeborg into a reserve role and shrinking his minutes.
Now, with James headed to Philadelphia and Jimmy Butler plus Moses Moody expected to be out to start the season, the door looks wide open. If Lendeborg carries his summer form into training camp and preseason, it’s not hard to see him in the first five.
His summer league numbers backed up the hype: 14.9 points, 6.8 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 1.4 steals and nearly a block per game across eight appearances, while shooting 48.4% from the field and 45.9% from 3-point range. He saved one of his best performances for the Championship Game against the Memphis Grizzlies last Sunday, finishing with 21 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and two steals. He also scored seven straight points late to help lift the Warriors to a 94-90 win.
Still, Lendeborg’s reaction to James choosing Philadelphia suggested he would have gladly welcomed the veteran to Golden State. He posted on Instagram after the news broke on Friday, and the moment made clear he understood what James could have meant for him personally.
Nicknamed “Dominican LeBron,” Lendeborg would have had a rare chance to learn from a player with a similar size and skill set. James, a four-time MVP, could have served as an ideal mentor before Lendeborg eventually moved into a bigger role down the line.
Even without that scenario, the rookie should still have veteran help around him. But after Friday’s decision, his on-court responsibilities now look even more important from the jump.
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