Dub Hub: Steve Kerr shares the ‘worst part’ about having a deep rotation

Rounding up all Warriors and NBA related news for Friday, October 18th.

In today’s Dub Hub:

• Steve Kerr shares the “worst part” about the Warriors’ deep rotation.
• Brandin Podziemski and De’Anthony Melton participated in Thursday’s practice, according to Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area.
• Clippers Kawhi Leonard will be out an “indefinite period of time” as he rehabs from a knee injury, per ESPN’s Shams Charania.

The Golden State Warriors are less than a week away from the start of the 2024-25 NBA regular season. While this year’s roster doesn’t have that flashy major addition, it does feature several solid players who add significant depth to the rotation. Head coach Steve Kerr addressed the challenges and benefits of having such a deep roster as the team heads into the season with what he says is “13 players who have earned a spot in the rotation.”

“The worst part is telling, three — at least two, maybe three — very worthy rotation players that they’re not in the plans that night,” Kerr said during Thursday’s press conference. “The best part is when those guys aren’t available and you can still play with depth and try to play the way that we’re playing — feisty defensively, sprinting, running. We have the depth to do that for the season, but it’s no fun telling guys that, especially the guys who have earned it. I would say including Lindy Waters, I think we have 13 players who have earned a spot in the rotation.”

During the regular season, Kerr ideally wants to run a 10-player rotation to ensure he maximizes the amount of time his best players are on the court. While the depth is good in case of injuries and absences throughout the season, it also means Kerr will be forced to make difficult decisions regarding who gets to play on a game-by-game basis,

Inconsistent playing time as well as hurt egos would be the worst outcome from all this, however, if everyone on the team buys in, it could easily translate to keeping players fresh throughout the season, leading to more success in the long run.

For more on this and other news around the NBA, here is our latest news round-up for Friday, October 18th:

Warriors News:

Steve Kerr on Warriors Practice, Season Outlook | Oct. 17, 2024

Warriors play preseason finale Friday, having crystallized expanded rotation plans | San Francisco Chronicle

“It’s going to be tough on (Kerr) … with figuring out lineups and rotations. That’s a job I’m happy I don’t have,” combo forward Kyle Anderson said laughingly after a recent practice at Chase Center.

Kerr confirmed as much Thursday after practice during another discussion about Golden State’s depth, explaining “the worst part is telling three, at least two, maybe three very worthy position rotation players that they’re not in the plans that night.”

The best part, Kerr said, is in the wake of absence, the Warriors can sustain their style of play: “Feisty defensively, sprinting, running — we have the depth to do that for the season.”

Brandin Podziemski and De’Anthony Melton practiced on Thursday, per Dalton Johnson of NBC Sports Bay Area

Draymond Green emphasizes fun with the Golden State Warriors | Andscape

“When Deki passed last season, you see all the pictures of everybody and stuff. And I realized, ‘All of the pictures, you’re not in none of them because you got bored with everything else,’ ” Green said. “So, all the moments everybody’s enjoying, ‘All right. Got to do this. Got to do that. Got to go get my body ready. Got to do this.’ And you forget to enjoy it. So, then it just turns into the grind. So, for me that was just a big reminder that you are missing the fun part of it. So, everything you’re doing is just to prepare to get ready. You’re missing the fun part of it.

“And so, for me that’s an emphasis this year. I always go to team dinners for the most part. But I mean hanging out before the game, when I get to the arena, it’s boom, boom, boom, boom, game. It’s like, ‘I got to go.’ All the fun happens in between.”

The Warriors will honor the late Jerry West with an on-court decal of his initials this season

NBA News:

LeBron James (old) out for remainder of Lakers preseason | SB Nation

It was pretty much a given that LeBron, among other starters, would not be playing both games in this final stretch. The only surprise is that the starters, presumably, won’t get one more run together this preseason unless the non-LeBron and Rui Hachimura starters play both sides of the back-to-back, which feels unlikely.

Victor Wembanyama’s offseason transformation is ‘scary’ for the rest of the NBA | ESPN

He’d watched Wembanyama gather a pass in transition a couple of feet behind the 3-point line, only to take a step with one foot, while the other never came back down to the floor.

“Oh, s—!” Paul said.

Wembanyama had just drilled a running one-legged 3-pointer, almost Dirk Nowitzki style.

Barnes had guarded Wembanyama on the play, and jokingly tossed up his hands in disgust when describing it.

“It’s not the first time I’ve seen him do that,” Barnes said. “He hasn’t missed it yet.”

Clippers’ Kawhi Leonard out for an ‘indefinite period of time’ as he rehabs knee injury, per ESPN’s Shams Charania

In case you missed it at Golden State of Mind:

GSoM reacts: Will the Warriors make a trade?

The way it will likely play out is the old-fashioned way: players fighting for spots, some players not getting the minutes they want, and injuries dictating some lineups. But there’s also a chance that the Warriors clear minutes by shuffling up their roster, and shipping out a few players. Time is running out for the Dubs to do that, but it’s surely something that Mike Dunleavy Jr. and Kerr are at least mulling over.

A tweet to end the week:

Follow @unstoppablebaby on Twitter for all the latest news on the Golden State Warriors.