Bill Simmons took a playful swing at the hot start of Warriors rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, comparing him to Hall of Fame big man David Robinson ahead of Golden State’s Friday, October 30 matchup with the Los Angeles Lakers.
“Yaxel's having the greatest NBA season since David Robinson,” Simmons said, reposting a video clip of Lendeborg as the knife-wielding Halloween villain.
The comment landed in the middle of a wild pregame scene, with Coach Steve Kerr’s Warriors getting ready for the Lakers while Lendeborg showed up in a Michael Myers Halloween costume that had to be seen to be believed. ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith also got in on the moment, expressing excitement for the game as Lendeborg prepared to face Lakers star Luka Doncic after saying he lost all respect for him a week earlier.
The praise from Simmons speaks to just how quickly Lendeborg has become one of the league’s most talked-about newcomers. He has scored 25 or more points in three straight games and has averaged more than 10 rebounds per game over that stretch.
Off the court, he’s already built a reputation as a refreshing voice. Lendeborg declined media training and keeps speaking straight from the heart at press conferences, with help and guidance from teammates Draymond Green and Stephen Curry, along with Kerr.
Now comes the next big test. Simmons and plenty around the NBA are eager to see what Lendeborg does against the Lakers, especially after he’s had this one circled for days. If he can top Doncic offensively or make life hard on him defensively, he could strengthen his case as the favorite in this year’s Rookie of the Year race and keep winning over fans across the NBA.
In Other News...
Warriors Head Into Lakers Rematch With A Serious Availability Problem
The rematch between the Warriors and Lakers is arriving with both teams already shorthanded, which makes the roster news almost as important as the matchup itself. Los Angeles has ruled out Cameron Carr and Adou Thiero, while Ziaire Williams is listed as questionable, so the Lakers are still juggling pieces on the eve of tipoff.
Golden States situation looks even more complicated. Jimmy Butler, Moses Moody and Kristaps Porzingis are all unavailable, and Gui Santos is doubtful, leaving the Warriors to sort through a thinner rotation than they would prefer in a game that could easily come down to depth and whoever is able to suit up. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Trade Buzz Comes Down To One Crucial Roster Choice
Trade chatter around the Warriors has a way of circling back to fit, and this time the conversation points toward New Orleans as a possible partner. The Pelicans have come up as a potential trade match, with center Yves Missi drawing interest, while the broader discussion has centered on the kind of package Golden State would have to assemble to make a deal worth pursuing. Names like Trey Murphy III, Kristaps Porzingis, Moses Moody and Herb Jones have all been floated as pieces in the larger evaluation, with the Warriors weighing both the price and the basketball fit.
What makes this especially interesting for Golden State is that the decision may come down less to star power than to roster balance. The case for Herb Jones is rooted in the Warriors' defensive needs and the practical reality of salary considerations, two factors that can matter just as much as scoring talent in a deal of this type. If the front office keeps digging on this path, the real question becomes which version of the trade actually makes the roster sturdier without costing too much of what the Warriors already value. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Concerns About Ben Simmons Suddenly Look Hard To Ignore
Ben Simmons path back into the league had already been under a bright spotlight after he sat out the previous season and then signed a minimum deal with the Sacramento Kings. During a preseason game against the Warriors, he and Steve Kerr reportedly spent time talking through the concerns Golden State had about Simmons health, a sign that the questions surrounding his availability were not exactly new.
Now those worries look even harder to dismiss after Simmons suffered a torn Achilles in a workout and was ruled out for the season. For the Warriors, it is one more reminder that any evaluation of Simmons has to start with the same issue that has followed him for months: whether he can stay on the floor long enough to matter. [Read more 🡒]