Steve Kerr has been waiting for a player like Yaxel Lendeborg.
That was the clearest takeaway from Kerr’s comments at Warriors training camp, where he described the 24-year-old as a clean fit for the way Golden State wants to play. “He’s just a basketball player,” Kerr said of Lendeborg.
“I mean, he can dribble, pass, shoot. It doesn't really matter what position you play him.”
For a coach who has spent recent years trying to make sense of more polarizing lottery picks, that line says plenty. It stands in sharp contrast to the way Golden State had to approach James Wiseman and Jonathan Kuminga, two former top 10 selections who arrived as elite athletes the staff had to shape into specific roles.
Wiseman went second overall. Kuminga went seventh.
Neither developed into the long-term franchise pillars the Warriors hoped for, and neither has lived up to that draft billing.
Lendeborg, by comparison, looks like the kind of plug-and-play talent Kerr has been searching for while the Warriors keep pushing their win-now agenda. The basics matter here: he can dribble, pass and shoot, and he brings them in a 6'9", 240-plus-pound frame. That combination gives Golden State something it has lacked in recent seasons - a rotational player who can check multiple boxes at once.
That versatility matters even more with the roster dealing with long-term injuries to two key players. It makes Lendeborg harder to keep off the floor, especially with Kerr already seeming comfortable using him at either forward spot. And if Kristaps Porzingis runs into another health issue, there’s even a path for the 11th overall pick to handle some small-ball five minutes.
All of that points to a big early role. Lendeborg not only appears set to start right away against the Los Angeles Lakers later this month, but he could also wind up averaging 30 minutes a night as the Warriors manage their veterans through the grind of the regular season.
In Other News...
Warriors May Benefit From The Anthony Davis Situation Getting Messier
The Anthony Davis trade chatter has taken another turn, and it could matter for Golden State as much as anyone. Washington is now reportedly exploring a path that would send Davis to Detroit for restricted free agent Jalen Duren, a framework that speaks to how aggressively the Wizards are trying to move on and how complicated the market has become around the veteran big man.
For the Warriors, the bigger issue is leverage. They were already among the teams linked to Davis as they continue to look for help at center, and the more public Washington makes its willingness to deal him, the harder it may be to command the kind of return that once seemed possible. Golden State still fits the conversation if Davis becomes available in season, but the path to a deal may be getting messier by the day. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Make Draymond Decision That Puts Pressure On This Season
Steve Kerr has made it clear that Draymond Green will stay in the starting five alongside Stephen Curry, a decision that keeps one of Golden States most familiar pairings intact as the team tries to steady its frontcourt. Even with outside chatter about a possible move to the bench, the Warriors are leaning on the chemistry Green and Curry have built over the years, a choice that says plenty about how much the organization still values that connection.
The move also adds another layer of pressure to what is shaping up as a pivotal season for Golden State, because the lineup picture is not entirely settled and health concerns for Kristaps Porzingis could force more shuffling than the Warriors would like. Greens place in the opening group should help define the teams identity early, but it also keeps the spotlight on how the roster performs if the start is uneven, especially with trade speculation already hanging around the situation. [Read more 🡒]
Steve Kerr Already Locked In Golden States Core Camp Decision
Draymond Greens summer took a familiar turn for Golden State, with the veteran forward opting out to help create cap space before eventually returning on the same one-year, $27.7 million deal. Stephen Curry, meanwhile, remains the franchise centerpiece after signing a two-year, $116 million extension that includes a player option on the final season, keeping the Warriors core structure intact as training camp approaches.
Steve Kerr has already made one lineup choice clear for the new season, and it speaks to how the Warriors want to open this next chapter. Green and Curry will be on the floor together when the season begins, preserving the veteran backbone that has defined Golden State for years while leaving the bigger questions about how the rotation evolves around them for later. [Read more 🡒]