Warriors will finally get chance to start seeing what they have
It’s been nearly nine months but now, with training camp wrapped up, the next action for the Warriors, finally, will be a basketball game. Yes, it’s a preseason game and, yes, preseason games don’t count toward the record, but there is much to glean from these exhibitions.
As Golden State plays its preseason opener Saturday night against the Denver Nuggets at Chase Center, here are six things to watch. HOW DOES THE ROTATION SHAKE OUT? >> Coming off the NBA’S worst record last season, the Warriors knew getting Stephen Curry back from a broken hand was only part of the equation regarding vaulting back to contention. General manager Bob Myers needed to make significant upgrades to a team that finished last in offensive rating and fifthworst in defensive rating.
The Warriors signed reliable veterans Kent Bazemore and Brad Wanamaker, selected center James Wiseman with the second overall pick in the draft and Nico Mannion in the second round and used the trade exception to acquire Kelly Oubre Jr.
It’s unclear if those additions will be enough to lift the Warriors back to the top of the Western Conference. The loss of Klay Thompson to a season- ending Achilles tear puts a hard ceiling on this team’s upside. Still, the starting lineup on opening night should be marginally better than the starting lineup to open last season (since which the Warriors have had a lot of roster turnover). Here’s a look for comparison:
• 2019-20 starting lineup: Curry, D’angelo Russell, Glenn Robinson III, Draymond Green, Kevon Looney
• 2020-21 projected starting lineup: Curry, Oubre, Andrew Wiggins, Green, Looney.
That’s better, though not by a lot. The big leap should come from the team’s depth. Particularly from Bazemore and Wanamaker, and more established versions Damion Lee and Marquese Chriss.
Head coach Steve Kerr said everyone will play around 20 minutes in the first game as he monitors the team’s conditioning, so the starters won’t get their full allotment, but there will be indications of what the rotation looks like in the first half.
According to Kerr, Curry and Green will play together as much as possible this season and, as several coaches have told me, Oubre and Wiggins will team up when the former pair is on the bench. When does Kerr make those changes? Midway through the first quarter or to start the second quarter?
Also, with Looney being named the opening night starter, how soon will Chriss get involved? It could make sense for Chriss to play with Oubre and Wiggins — that trio has the speed and athleticism to make up for the loss in experience and skill level when Curry is resting. WHERE DO THE POINTS COME FROM? >> The Warriors want to play fast, and getting points early in the shot clock will be key for a team short on shooting and playmaking.
From a schematic standpoint, Kerr plans to lean on more pick- and- roll than in years past. Without Thompson and other all-world shooters, off-ball screens won’t be used as much to set up 3-pointers, but rather to surprise the defense and create lanes for Oubre and Wiggins to cut to the basket.
Either Oubre or Wiggins will have to emerge as the No. 2 scorer. Wiggins, it could be argued, has the better skillset as an adept pick-and-roll ballhandler and finisher. Oubre, though, may have the more aggressive mindset. This will be an interesting dynamic to watch, particularly when Curry is getting a break.
WHEN WILL WISEMAN (AND GREEN) PLAY? >> On the last day of training camp, Green and Wiseman were able to do some light individual work but were still not cleared for group practice after testing positive for the coronavirus before training camp. Kerr said it’s “very unlikely” either play in any of the three preseason games.
This is less of an issue for Green, who should pick up any new schemes the Warriors introduced in camp fairly quickly. But Wiseman is young, raw, and could have used this week to learn the ins and outs of Golden State’s system.
While watching the team practice from afar these last few days, Wiseman has sat with former center Zaza Pachulia, who was able to teach the 19-year- old some of the finer points of the game. But players need reps, and Wiseman hasn’t played in a real basketball game since November 2019.
When Wiseman does eventually play, it will likely be short stints at first, and against backups.
ERIC PASCHALL’S DEFENSE AND 3- POINT SHOOTING >> After making 28.7% of his 3-point shots as a rookie last season, Paschall spent much of the offseason overhauling his form. He’s trying to jump less and create more arc on the shot in order to drive that percentage up closer to 35% (league average).
But that’s not the only thing Paschall needs to work on. Kerr has been drilling Paschall on his defense. To leverage this roster’s strengths, the Warriors will play an aggressive style of defense that features switching, blitzing and some zone. While that can lead to more forced turnovers and transition opportunities, it’s also mentally demanding on players.
“The biggest thing I’m on him about every single day is his defense,” Kerr said of Paschall. “He has to get better as a weak-side help defender.”
Paschall has improved as a one- on- one defender but, to become a key part of the rotation, he will need to improve in these other areas. IS JORDAN POOLE A ROTATION PLAYER? >> Probably not. Despite coaches lauding Poole’s offseason work, the No. 28 pick in the 2019 draft may not be ready to be a key part of the rotation. Though he has shown flashes of ball-handling and confidence in his jumper, he needs to improve from making 27.9% of his 3-pointers as a rookie and on defense.
“He may not end up in the rotation, but he will absolutely have opportunities to play during the year,” Kerr said. “He’s going to have to be ready for every one of them.”
Kerr also pointed out that Poole can learn from Lee, who spent his first year in Golden State as an occasional contributor who played in only 32 games. But Lee stayed ready, endeared himself to the coaching staff and earned a major role last season.
“That’s a really important aspect of being a young player in this league — staying prepared and staying ready,” Kerr said. “That may be Jordan’s role this year.” WILL IT BE UGLY? >> These players have not played in a long time, and they have not played together. Conditioning and chemistry will be an issue.
On Wednesday, Kerr summarized the day’s practice.
“A lot of turnovers, a lot of poor transition defense,” he said. “Offensively, we have so many new guys we’re throwing together it’s going to take some time to blend.”
But two days later on Friday, Kerr was more optimistic.
“I would say last year’s training camp was much more challenging than this one,” he said. “It felt like we were done before we even started a year ago.”