Yaxel Lendeborg left the Warriors’ preseason win over the Lakers with an ankle scare on Tuesday, but the early read from the player was encouraging.
The injury happened in the third quarter of Golden State’s 101-89 victory in Las Vegas, when Lendeborg drove into the lane and appeared to land on Kevon Looney’s foot. He stayed in long enough to try to shake it off before heading to the line for his free throws. After missing the second attempt, Gary Payton II picked up a backcourt foul that let Lendeborg exit the game.
He went to the locker room, then came back to finish the final 98 seconds of the third quarter.
Afterward, Lendeborg downplayed the issue. He said it was "not as bad as it looked."
"I think I'll be all right," Lendeborg told reporters. "We'll see how it feels tomorrow."
For Golden State, the timing matters. The Warriors have one preseason game left, Friday against the Portland Trail Blazers, before opening the regular season on Oct. 21 against the Lakers.
Lendeborg also gave the Warriors plenty to feel good about before the ankle turned into the night’s main concern. He was their best offensive player, putting up 17 points, five rebounds, four assists and two steals. He challenged 7'2" rim protector Walker Kessler repeatedly and won that battle more often than not.
His defense still had rough edges, but the overall preseason showing has been a strong one for him, and Golden State has every reason to be pleased with how he has looked.
The injury picture around the roster remains a worry. Kristaps Porzingis met with Rick Celebrini and Mike Dunleavy Jr. at the Warriors facilities on Tuesday, and he remains out indefinitely with a health issue. Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody are both rehabbing knee injuries that could keep them sidelined until February.
That leaves the Warriors in no position to absorb another hit to a key rotation piece. Lendeborg now fits that category. Kerr said he is "leaning toward" a starting five with Lendeborg alongside Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Gui Santos and Draymond Green.
Even with the expected starters intact, the Warriors may have a tough time staying in the Western Conference playoff mix. Another setback could send them down a rough road.
In Other News...
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There is still plenty of runway for the move to mean something for both sides, but the early returns have not exactly clarified the picture. The Hawks declined Kumingas team option, which sent him on to the Minnesota Timberwolves, while the Warriors are carrying a partially guaranteed Porzingis contract and hoping the health situation stabilizes soon. For now, the trade that was supposed to reshape the roster instead has Golden State watching one major addition from the sideline and wondering how much patience this gamble will require. [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Preseason Experiment Exposes A Frontcourt Issue Kerr Must Solve
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The appeal is obvious for a team built on movement and decision-making, but it also highlights the pressure Kerr is trying to manage at center. Green remains central to everything the Warriors do, yet age and workload make it harder to ask him to anchor the middle every night, especially if Porziis is limited. The experiment may help Golden State discover a new wrinkle, but it also leaves the same familiar question hanging over the roster: who is going to stabilize the front line when the games count? [Read more 🡒]
Warriors Suddenly Have A Porzingis Concern They Can't Yet Explain
Kristaps Porzingis is still working through an unspecified health issue, and for now that has kept him off the floor with the Warriors as the team waits for a clearer picture. Steve Kerr said he has been in contact with Porzingis and added that the veteran will come in to be evaluated by Golden States medical and performance staff, a routine step that at least gives the team a pathway to better understand what it is dealing with.
For a Warriors group trying to sort out its rotation and build momentum, any extended absence from a player of Porzingis caliber is a real concern. Draymond Green has already offered support and well wishes as Porzingis recovers, but the bigger question remains unanswered for Golden State: how long this issue will linger, and what the next update will mean for the teams plans. [Read more 🡒]