The Mavericks may have helped shape the Warriors’ future when they passed on Yaxel Lendeborg in June’s NBA Draft, and the ripple effect is already loud.
Golden State landed Lendeborg with the 11th overall pick only after a few things broke their way, including Dallas choosing Michigan championship teammate Morez Johnson Jr. instead. That decision now looks even bigger because Lendeborg is producing at a level that has him in the Rookie of the Year conversation and drawing All-Star buzz.
The fit that keeps jumping out is obvious: imagine Lendeborg alongside Cooper Flagg. That pairing would be a nightmare for opponents now and for years to come, and it was right there for Dallas before the Mavericks went in another direction based on the early read.
Lendeborg has wasted no time separating himself. He’s putting up 21.5 points, 7.0 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game while shooting 50% from the field and 40% from three.
He’s already had four games with at least 26 points, and on Sunday he went off for 37 to push the Warriors past the L.A. Clippers.
Johnson’s start has been much quieter. Through seven games, he has 51 total points and is averaging 7.3 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 15.7 minutes per game. He doesn’t look like a bust, but the comparison is unavoidable because both players were on the board for Dallas and both came through Dusty May’s Michigan team.
What makes the miss sting more is the way Flagg is already taking off. After winning Rookie of the Year last season, the 19-year-old is averaging 25.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 2.5 steals and 1.0 block, and he’s looking like an All-NBA player in his second season.
That kind of leap changes the math for Dallas. The Mavericks are 4-3 so far and should be 5-2 if not for Monday’s shock loss to the Sacramento Kings, and Flagg’s rapid rise only sharpens the pressure on the rebuild. A Lendeborg addition might not have come with the same role he has in Golden State behind Flagg and Kyrie Irving, but the upside of that trio is hard to ignore.
For now, the Warriors are the ones cashing in. Lendeborg has given them a boost that matters both now and down the road, and Golden State is riding a five-game winning streak with Dallas left to wonder what might have been.
In Other News...
Warriors Fans Are Split Over An Awkward Valkyries Tribute Moment
The Valkyries championship run gave the Bay Area a new title to celebrate, and the Golden State Warriors made sure to spotlight it the next day at Chase Center. During a timeout, the team held a recognition ceremony for the WNBA champions, who had just capped their season with a Game 7 win over the Atlanta Dream and became the fastest expansion team to win a championship in American major sports leagues. Gabby Williams, who scored 30 points in the clincher, was named MVP.
The presentation was meant to be a feel-good moment for the home crowd, with the trophy brought out for fans to see, but the reaction in the building was not as seamless as the organization probably hoped. The mixed response underscored how tricky these crossover celebrations can be, even when the accomplishment is a historic one for the same market. For a Warriors fan base used to big-stage basketball, the tribute became its own talking point almost as much as the title itself. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Fans Had An Awkward Reaction To Golden States Latest Title Celebration
The Valkyries championship run gave the Bay Area another banner-worthy moment to celebrate, and the Warriors made sure to mark it the next day at Chase Center. Golden State hosted a recognition ceremony during its game against the Clippers, with the WNBA club bringing out its trophy in front of the crowd after becoming the fastest expansion team to win a title in American major sports leagues.
Gabby Williams, who earned Finals MVP honors after a 30-point effort in Game 7 against the Atlanta Dream, stood at the center of the celebration as the franchise soaked in the moment. But the atmosphere carried an awkward edge from some Warriors fans, turning what should have been a straightforward salute into a scene that said as much about the mood in the building as it did about the championship itself. [Read more 🡒]
Draymond Green Put Warriors In A Brutal Spot Against Phoenix
Draymond Greens night against Phoenix turned into a familiar kind of Warriors headache in a hurry. In the third quarter, Green was ejected after picking up two technical fouls tied to physical exchanges with Suns players Khaman Maluach and Dillon Brooks, leaving Golden State to regroup in the middle of a game it was trying to keep within reach.
Before he was sent off, Green had put together a modest line with four points, four rebounds, two assists and one steal, but his exit came at a costly moment. The Warriors were already trailing 71-62 when he left, and from there the challenge only got steeper for a team that needed his presence on both ends to steady things. [Read more 🡒]