Coach Kerr has some interesting starting lineup options this season

Go big? Go small? The Dubs need to find which lineup will get them going.

When Golden State Warriors Head Coach Steve Kerr takes a sip of wine and looks at a mostly blank Google doc with “My 2024-2025 Starters” in size 36 font, bolded, italicized, underlined, and centered at the top, he’s got a lot to consider.

As he told Tim Kawakami of the San Francisco Standard, there’s plenty options to mull over: “I think that’s the exciting thing about this training camp, is that I can legitimately tell the guys that spots are available and mean it,” Kerr said. “You know, last year, we started at times, we started small with Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga, and Draymond Green. Later in the season, we wanted more size, we started Trayce Jackson-Davis. I would say all those guys are in the mix for starting jobs, but so is Brandin Podziemski.”

At least he knows who can start at point guard: the most magical player alive Stephen Curry. But what about the rest of the positions?

Shooting Guard

This offseason when we didn’t know if aging fan-favorite Klay Thompson was going to return to the team in a possible sixth man role, Kerr mentioned that his replacement may very well be on the team already.

Per NBC Sports: “It could very well be somebody on the roster,” Kerr said. “I think our young guys are going to continue to get better. For a while we started Brandin [Podziemski] instead of Klay. So that’s a possibility. Maybe Moses Moody moves into the starting lineup.”

Podziemski may have the inside track on this considering he replaced Klay Thompson in the starting lineup for 28 games. He averaged 9.5 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4 assists as a starter, shooting 43% from the field and 33% from beyond the arc.

But Buddy Hield seems like he could be the option here. In 42 games as a starter in stints with the Indiana Pacers and the Philadelphia 76ers, Hield shot 44% from the field, and a hair under 40% from beyond the arc while averaging 13.5 points per game. Per AP News: “Hield had been one of the top 3-point shooters in the NBA for years in both volume and makes. He hit at least 260 in four straight seasons with the Sacramento Kings and made a career-high 288 in 2022-2023 with the Pacers. He averaged 12.1 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists last season.”

One thing to consider about Hield is if his defense justifies earning starter minutes alongside Curry. Per the Mercury News:

One thing Hield does not provide is much resistance on the defensive perimeter. The good news is that his contribution on that end is not terribly different from Thompson’s at age 34 after two major leg injuries. The five-time All-Star’s defense was a liability for the Warriors, as his defensive rating of 116.1 last season was slightly worse than Hield’s 115.7.

For years, the Warriors didn’t have to plan for that problem with Thompson, who freed up Curry by taking the tougher backcourt assignment. While Hield would fill the shooting role vacated by Thompson, Steve Kerr may prefer to start a stronger defender alongside Curry and bring Hield off the bench to avoid placing more of a defensive burden on his 36-year-old star guard.

Which brings me back to Mr. Moody. Is he ready to ascend to the starters as a two-guard? in 9 games as a starter last season, the former first round pick averaged 12.6 points and 3.7 rebounds per game while shooting 52% from the field and 39% from beyond the arc. And at 6-foot-6, he has the prototypical physical size to play the shooting guard position. He also finishes strong at the rim, which could add some verticality to the starting lineup.

Per NBC’s Monte Poole, Moody is one of Golden State’s best defenders, on the ball or off it. His 110.2 rating ranked second on the team, behind only Gary Payton II (108.9) and just ahead of Draymond Green (110.7).

Small Forward

This spot is fascinating because you would think it would be a shoo-in for Andrew Wiggins, an All-Star as recently as 2022 and one of the highest paid veterans on the roster. He’s got explosive athleticism, has showcased a respectable shot from beyond the arc, and has the length and mindset to terrorize opponents with his defense.

But he, much like Thompson, was removed from the starting lineup last season (for 12 games) when the team couldn’t figure itself out.

He averaged a career low 13.2 PPG, andshot his lowest marks as a Warrior from the field (45%) and from three-point range (36%). We know he was dealing with the issues of his father being gravely ill, and that could take anyone’s mind off of basketball.

But I can understand why some fans in Dub Nation may believe it’s time to give the hungry fourth-year player Jonathan Kuminga a spot at the small-forward starting lineup. Check this break down from Athletic Alchemy to see how dynamic Kuminga is:

But if you put Kuminga at the SF spot, you lose some small-ball flexibility. If JK slides into that super powered SF position, then the power forward is gonna have to be…

Power Forward

Draymond Freakin’ Green! The Warriors have always tried to toggle between using Green at center to supercharge their lineups with speed and shooting, while sparing him from being worn down by battling much bigger centers throughout the season. If Green is at PF (which is the position he has spent most of his career in as a Warrior), then the Dubs would need to have their center position fortified to both handle rim-protection and rebounding, while adding scoring punch and passing IQ.

But if you do put Green at small-ball center (or he gets suspended for dropkicking Rudy Gobert in his chest with both feet), I think the newly acquired Kyle Anderson could be a delightful connector and stalwart defensive presence for this team.

Center

If Green is holding it down at power forward, then the center position boils down to sophomore Trayce Jackson-Davis and the legendary veteran role player Kevon Looney. In 68 games (16 starts) in his rookie career, TJD averaged 7.9 points, 5 rebounds, 1.2 assists, and 1.1 blocks per game on 70%(!) shooting from the field. He also averaged 11-points and 7-rebounds as a starter, making it clear he can make an impact for the Dubs sooner rather than later.

But Looney has proven to have the heart of a lion and the wingspan of a golden eagle. He played in 74 games last season, starting 36. He played in 16.1 minutes per game, his lowest since the 2021 season. He doesn’t have much of a vertical leap, but has tremendous high-IQ and will throw his body around to free his teammates with screens or box out bigger guys for rebounds.

At any rate, Kerr has a lot of options to mull over, perhaps even some ones not featured in this article. Can’t wait!