Bob Fitzgerald’s Paolo Banchero comparison is starting to look a lot less outlandish after what Yaxel Lendeborg did Saturday night.
The 11th overall pick was at it again in the Golden State Warriors’ 111-106 win over the Sacramento Kings, following up his strong summer league and preseason work with another performance that jumped off the page. By halftime, Lendeborg had already piled up 20 points and eight rebounds, helping Golden State build a 61-56 lead over its Pacific Division rival.
That’s the part that makes the Banchero comparison so easy to understand. Lendeborg keeps showing off the same kind of blend of size and handling that lets him get where he wants on the floor. He bullied defenders at times, used smart footwork, and kept putting pressure on Sacramento in a way that felt both polished and forceful.
He also flashed more as a shooter. Lendeborg knocked down one of his two three-point tries in the first half, and the Warriors kept the offense humming even without six-time All-Star Jimmy Butler and starting center Kristaps Porzingis.
For a stretch, it was Lendeborg - not Stephen Curry - driving the action. Curry had just eight points in the first half, while Lendeborg and Gui Santos carried much of the load. Santos, the Brazilian forward, had 13 first-half points of his own.
Lendeborg finished with 23 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, two steals and a block, doing it in just under 24 minutes while shooting 10-of-14 from the field. He also posted a game-high plus-18, matching Santos in that category.
Santos ended with 15 points and six rebounds, while Brandin Podziemski added 14 points, seven rebounds and four assists in 26 minutes after signing a five-year, $110 million contract extension.
The scoring is the obvious headline, but Lendeborg’s value keeps showing up in everything else he does. And for a Warriors team that ranked 20th on offense last season, that kind of all-around impact is exactly why his early run is making so much noise.
In Other News...
Warriors Just Made A Podziemski Move That Helps Steph Curry Too
The Warriors locked in Brandin Podziemski well before restricted free agency could become a talking point, agreeing to a contract extension that keeps one of their younger rotation pieces in place as they continue building around Steph Curry. It is another clear sign that Golden State sees Podziemski as more than a promising guard, treating him as part of the roster core rather than a short-term complement.
For the Warriors, the move also carries financial weight beyond the player himself. By getting the extension done now, they preserved flexibility for future business and kept their planning window open as Curry remains the franchise centerpiece. The structure of the deal gives Golden State room to keep working the margins, and it is the kind of move that can matter just as much in the front office as it does on the floor. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Suddenly Face A Kristaps Porzingis Concern They Can't Ignore
Kristaps Porzingis has been away from Warriors training camp because of an undisclosed health issue, leaving Golden State without a clear sense of when he might be back on the floor. For a team trying to build early-season rhythm, the absence is notable not just because of Porzingis talent, but because the club has offered little beyond the basic acknowledgment that he is dealing with a health matter.
Steve Kerr and Draymond Green have both shown public concern and support as Porzingis works through the situation, but the Warriors still have not provided any further details on what is keeping him out. For now, the uncertainty is the real issue, since the team is left to manage camp without knowing how long it will have to wait for one of its most important frontcourt pieces. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Face A Trade Deadline Question That Could Cost Their Future
The Warriors have already narrowed some of their own trade flexibility before the season has even reached its midpoint. Brandin Podziemskis new five-year extension gives Golden State a young core piece to build around, while also making him a player the front office is not likely to move until next offseason. With that kind of commitment on the books, the more realistic path for the team is to work the margins with expiring contracts and draft capital while keeping an eye on bigger names around the roster.
Yaxel Lendeborg, the 11th overall pick, falls into a similar category, which says plenty about how carefully Golden State is guarding its future. The Warriors would only entertain moving him in a deal for a true premium addition, and even then the bar is believed to be extremely high. For now, the more likely trade chatter still centers on established veterans such as Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green and Kristaps Porzingis, with the front office trying to thread the needle between chasing help now and preserving what comes next. [Read more 🡒]