Golden State’s offseason may have left plenty of fans wanting more, but for Yaxel Lendeborg, the path ahead looks about as clean as it gets.
The rookie forward entered June’s NBA Draft as the 11th overall pick and has already given Warriors supporters a lot to like. He turned heads in summer league, where he helped lead Golden State to a championship and took home MVP honors. Just as important, he’s won people over with his blunt public honesty - the kind of trait that can become a problem later, but for now reads as refreshing.
That early momentum hasn’t slowed as training camp and preseason approach. With Golden State making no major roster additions, Lendeborg is staring at a wide-open opportunity to carve out a meaningful role right away.
The Warriors’ quiet offseason matters here. If the team had landed LeBron James in free agency, Lendeborg’s path to minutes would have looked a lot different. Even Lendeborg, who was openly pitching for a James move to Golden State, would have faced a tougher fight for playing time if the 41-year-old had chosen the Warriors instead of the Philadelphia 76ers.
Instead, Golden State missed out on James and also stood pat in trade and free agency. That has sparked criticism from fans and analysts, but it leaves Lendeborg in a much better spot as he tries to make an immediate impression.
He’s also helped by the return of injury-prone veterans Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis and De'Anthony Melton, which only increases the odds that the 23-year-old can log major minutes over the course of the regular season.
For Lendeborg, who led Michigan to the NCAA Championship earlier this year, it’s a dream landing spot. But it’s also one he can’t afford to treat casually, especially with Golden State’s recent history with lottery picks hanging in the background.
A starting job on opening night against the Los Angeles Lakers on October 21 is not guaranteed, even if it looks like a real possibility based on his summer league performance and the fact that he’ll be 24-years-old.
Even if he opens the season coming off the bench, the fit still points to a substantial role. A three-forward setup with Lendeborg, Draymond Green and Gui Santos gives him a clear lane to 20-plus minutes per game unless something unexpected changes.
Golden State needs him to contribute quickly. That adds pressure, sure, but it also gives Lendeborg exactly what a lottery pick wants: a chance to matter from day one.
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