Steve Kerr didn’t sound like a coach who’s still making up his mind.
Before Tuesday’s game, Kerr said Golden State’s rookie big man Yaxel Lendeborg is trending toward the starting center job, and he made it clear why the Warriors are leaning that way.
“We’ll wait for the season to start, but it’s looking that way, for sure,” said Kerr in a chat with reporters. “Watching him in Summer League, meeting him, seeing how big he was.
The skill combined with the size, we knew he was the absolute perfect fit for our team. We desperately needed size in the frontcourt, on the wing, and he provided that.
As soon as you get a look at his skill and you see his dribble-pass-shoot skill set, it’s obvious. Like, yeah, this guy is going to play a ton for us right away.”
That kind of confidence carries extra weight for a Warriors team that didn’t have much of a splashy summer. After a failed 2025-26 campaign, Golden State went into the offseason with ambitions of landing LeBron James or Giannis Antetokounmpo, but instead ended up running it back with the same roster that couldn’t get past the play-in.
The need for help in the frontcourt was obvious, and the options around Lendeborg don’t exactly scream depth. Kristaps Porzingis was signed to add some floor spacing, but his mysterious absence has left no clarity on when, or if, he’ll be available. The other real alternative is 40-year-old Al Horford, who is planning to be conservative with his workload.
That’s why a rookie entering the picture this quickly isn’t just a curiosity for Golden State - it may be the cleanest solution they have. Kerr’s comments suggest the Warriors already view Lendeborg as much more than a stopgap.
The 24-year-old 6’9″ big man is coming off a huge season at Michigan, where he averaged 15.1 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.2 assists while shooting 51.5% from the field. He’s been praised for his defensive versatility and connective playmaking, and he brings the kind of modern big-man skill set that can help stretch the floor and knock down the occasional three.
He’s backed that up in Summer League, where he’s looked like one of Golden State’s best players. His best showing came Saturday against the Kings, when he posted 23 points, 10 rebounds, six assists, two steals, and one block on 10-14 shooting in a 111-106 win.
If that version of Lendeborg shows up once the season starts, the Warriors may not just have found a starter. They may have found their next centerpiece in the middle.
In Other News...
Warriors Face An Opening Night Luka Problem Kerr Must Solve
Steve Kerrs opening-night lineup plans already hint at how thin the Warriors margin may be when the Lakers arrive with Luka Doncic in the spotlight. Kerr has floated a small group built around Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Gui Santos, Yaxel Lendeborg and Draymond Green, a look that says as much about the rosters available bodies as it does about the coaching staffs confidence in pace and versatility.
The bigger issue is how Golden State absorbs Doncic without a clean one-on-one answer for him. With key players unavailable because of injury, the Warriors are short on natural perimeter defenders, which makes the decision more complicated than simply assigning a stopper. Kerr and his staff have to choose between trusting single coverage or sending help early, and opening night could hinge on which approach they settle on. [Read more 🡒]
Draymond Green Had A Blunt Response To Viral Camp Chatter
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For Golden State, the bigger takeaway is familiar: Green is not interested in spending time on outside criticism, and he said he feels he is in decent shape for where he wants to be right now. It is the kind of blunt response that has long defined him, even when the conversation starts with something as routine as camp photos and ends with his usual no-nonsense shrug at the noise. [Read more 🡒]
Steph Curry Showed Up For A Big Family Moment After Turmoil
After a stretch of very public family tension, the Currys had something far different to celebrate: Sonya Currys wedding, with Steph Curry among the relatives on hand for the occasion. Photos shared on social media showed the family marking the moment together, a reminder that even amid years of speculation and scrutiny, the Curry name still carries a strong family presence off the court.
Sonya has also recently addressed the rumors that have lingered around her past divorce, asking for privacy as old claims continue to resurface. For Steph and the Warriors, the on-court focus may always come first, but this was one of those personal milestones that matters just as much to the people inside the family circle. [Read more 🡒]