Yaxel Lendeborg hasn’t needed much time to make the Warriors’ next decision feel a lot bigger than expected: how do you keep him off the floor?
That’s a strange problem to have for a rookie, especially in Golden State, where Steve Kerr has often been viewed as a coach who leans toward veterans and can be cautious with younger players. But Lendeborg’s early preseason impact is already forcing a different kind of conversation. The 11th overall pick looks like one of the team’s most useful pieces right away, and Kerr now has to sort through not just whether Lendeborg should play, but exactly where he fits.
The answer, at least on paper, is everywhere. Lendeborg is listed primarily as a power forward, but his size and skill set give Golden State real flexibility.
He can slide to the three, and Kerr has already said he can essentially be used at any position. With Jimmy Butler and Kristaps Porzingis out, that versatility matters even more.
At 6'9", Lendeborg gives the Warriors a rare blend of length and skill, and the temptation is obvious: big minutes, maybe 30-plus, maybe even 35 if his form keeps trending the way it has in preseason.
But that kind of workload comes with a warning label. Lendeborg is older than many rookies and arrives with plenty of college experience, so he may be better equipped than most first-year players to handle the grind of an 82-game season. Even so, the rookie wall is real, and Golden State has to avoid pushing him so hard that his effectiveness fades as the season wears on.
The warning sign is right there in the Warriors’ recent past. Will Richard also came into the league as an older rookie with significant college experience, and while he started strongly, things fell off badly after the All-Star break.
For Golden State, this is a different kind of rookie issue than the one they’ve dealt with before. Jonathan Kuminga’s role and playing time were a constant storyline for years, and Moses Moody took time to establish himself in the rotation.
Lendeborg doesn’t look like he’ll have to fight for those opportunities. If anything, the concern is the opposite: the Warriors may have to be careful not to lean on him too heavily too soon.
That balancing act matters because Golden State still has playoff ambitions, and managing Lendeborg is part of the same larger job as managing Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Al Horford. The rookie may be the newest piece, but he’s already important enough to change how Kerr has to think about his lineups.
In Other News...
Warriors Fans Already See One Draymond Problem For Yaxel Lendeborg
Yaxel Lendeborg has already started to look comfortable in Warriors colors, and not just because of what hes done on the floor this preseason. The rookie drew extra attention after Golden States win over the Kings, when he mixed in a little personality with a lighthearted social media jab aimed at Draymond Green, a moment that fit right into a camp where Steve Kerr has already trusted him enough to put him in the starting lineup.
Draymond, of course, has never been the type to ignore a public tease, and the exchange quickly added another layer to the rookie-veteran dynamic Warriors fans are watching closely. Lendeborgs play has given Golden State a reason to keep him in the conversation, but the real intrigue now is how long the back-and-forth stays playful and whether the young forward keeps earning bigger responsibility as the preseason winds down. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Face An Early Center Problem They Can't Ignore
As the Warriors get ready for the season, Kristaps Porzingis is already hanging over the roster conversation in a way they would rather avoid. Steve Kerr has labeled his availability day-to-day, and the big man did not attend training camp, adding another layer of uncertainty to a team that was hoping to sort out its frontcourt rotation early. Golden State knows what Porzingis can bring when he is on the floor, but the simple question of when he can be there remains unsettled.
The concern is not just about missing practice time, either. Porzingis is dealing with a chronic health issue that can be hard to predict, and rival teams are already watching to see how long Golden State can wait for clarity. One West executive even suggested the Warriors could end up exploring a move before the trade deadline if the situation does not improve, which is the kind of early-season talk no team wants around a player it needs to stabilize the middle of the floor. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Still Have A Porzingis Problem Right Before Opening Night
Kristaps Porziis remains out as the Warriors head toward their regular-season opener, and the uncertainty around his status has become a familiar part of the conversation again. He has not taken part in training camp or preseason games, and Golden State has not offered a clear timetable for when he might be able to return, leaving the team to sort through its frontcourt plans with one of its biggest offseason bets still on the sideline.
The Warriors brought Porziis back despite the obvious health questions because of what he can add when he is available, but the early months are already testing that optimism. For now, the only certainty is that the club is waiting on more clarity, and it has not said whether this latest issue is tied to the POTS diagnosis that complicated his time in Boston. [Read more 🡒]