The Warriors don’t have the luxury of waiting around on Yaxel Lendeborg.
That’s the reality hanging over Golden State’s 11th overall pick, even after a Summer League that made him look like a clean fit from the jump. At 6-foot-9 and 241 pounds, Lendeborg used his size and athleticism to repeatedly create advantages, and he flashed enough on both ends to look ready for a real role right away.
For a team with a full rotation, that kind of rookie showing would be a bonus. There would be time to ease him into the league, let him settle into the speed and physicality, and maybe keep his responsibilities focused mainly on defense before asking for much more.
That’s not where Golden State is.
With Jimmy Butler out and Kristaps Porzingis’ status for the start of the season looking uncertain, the Warriors need frontcourt help now. Lendeborg isn’t being asked to develop slowly. He’s being asked to matter immediately.
The upside is obvious. De’Anthony Melton should give Stephen Curry a strong two-way partner in the backcourt, and Porzingis’ spacing would ease the load on Draymond Green if he’s available and functioning as the defensive anchor. Even with those moving parts, though, Butler’s absence until at least mid-season leaves a hole that Golden State has to fill with a real connective presence.
Lendeborg is the player who can do that if his rookie season hits the high end.
He brings agility, defensive playmaking, and enough offensive polish to project as more than a stopgap. The ceiling discussed here is loud: as much as 18-20 points per game right away, with the possibility of finishing the season around 18 points, seven rebounds, and three assists per game while shooting upwards of 37% from three. That kind of production would put him firmly in All-Rookie territory.
Lendeborg has already set his own bar pretty high. He said he wants to be All-Rookie first team and added, "I feel like I could be Rookie of the Year, but that's not my main focus."
For Golden State, the focus is less about long-term patience and more about survival in the early stretch of 2026-27. If the Warriors are going to stay afloat, they need Lendeborg to start looking like that version of himself almost immediately.
In Other News...
Warriors Enter Camp With A Steph Curry Concern They Can't Ignore
As the Warriors settle into training camp in Oahu, the familiar routine around Stephen Curry comes with a new layer of caution. The 17-year veteran is entering his 18th NBA camp while managing an aging right knee, and this offseason he changed up his preparation to help keep himself fresh for another long season. Golden State has Curry focused on building back toward game shape ahead of its upcoming meeting with the Clippers, a reminder that even for a player who has seen it all, the opening weeks still matter.
Kristaps Porzingis status adds another point of uncertainty for a team trying to get its footing early. He did not travel with the club to Hawaii because of an undisclosed health issue, and Steve Kerr said there is no current timeline for his return. For a Warriors group that already has enough to monitor with Currys workload, the absence leaves another important front to watch as camp moves along. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Face A Brandin Podziemski Decision With Big Roster Consequences
Brandin Podziemski is at the center of one of the Warriors more delicate offseason conversations, with a three-week window now open to work out a contract extension before the Oct. 19 deadline. The timing matters because Golden State has already committed to Stephen Curry on a two-year extension, and the front office is clearly trying to balance keeping its young guard in the fold with preserving enough flexibility for the bigger-picture roster.
Podziemski gave the Warriors plenty to think about after the All-Star break last season, when his role and production both took a noticeable step forward. He has said he wants to keep the focus on his play rather than on public commentary, but the stakes around this negotiation are obvious: the team wants him long term, just not at a number that could squeeze the rest of the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Already Have A Center Problem Steve Kerr Must Solve
The Warriors frontcourt picture got thinner when they chose not to match Quinten Posts three-year, $30 million offer sheet from Memphis, sending the center away and leaving Steve Kerr with another lineup question to answer. Post had looked like a potentially useful fit as the sort of big man who could help stabilize the rotation, especially with the team still sorting out how it wants to play up front.
Now the attention turns to the center spot in the coming games, including the preseason meeting with the L.A. Clippers, where Golden State figures to keep testing different looks. Kristaps Porzingis is also dealing with an early illness concern that could complicate the picture even more, making the next few days a useful preview of how the Warriors plan to handle a position that suddenly feels a little less settled. [Read more 🡒]