Warriors’ five biggest questions one month before training camp

Warriors’ five biggest questions one month before training camp originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The glory of Steph Curry’s Olympic heroics are in the rearview mirror. Offseason vacations are coming to an end. With the first practice of Warriors training camp now less than one month away, we dove deep into five questions that will need to be answered.

Who Will Be Steph’s Starting Backcourt Mate?

The player who leads the NBA in 3-pointers made over the last five seasons seems like the least likely option to be the Warriors’ starting shooting guard. Buddy Hield, 31, is the easiest fit to step into Klay Thompson’s 3-point-shooting shoes. But he also most closely resembles what the Warriors envisioned in Klay if he returned.

Since Thompson returned from injury on Jan. 9, 2022, the forever Splash Brother has made 683 threes. Hield in that span has sank 622. For how much he’s a threat from deep, Hield always has been seen as a negative defensively. However, his 1.6 defensive win shares last season did tie a career-high. Still, his skill set screams shooter off the bench.

Another veteran addition the Warriors brought in and can start games alongside Curry is 26-year-old De’Anthony Melton. Pairing Melton with Curry would make sense from a balance standpoint. Curry and Thompson weren’t a dominant duo at their peak solely for being perhaps the two greatest 3-point shooters ever. It was Thompson’s defensive prowess and versatility that pushed them over the edge.

That’s where Melton comes in, as long as he’s healthy. A back injury held him to 38 games last season. The season before, Melton was worth 3.1 defensive win shares, and 2.8 in 2021-22. Melton, like Curry, is only 6-foot-2. His 6-8 wingspan makes him a headache for opposing offenses.

Both Hield and Melton will be vital to the Warriors’ success. A second-year standout from his rookie year still has the clearest path to the starting job. Brandin Podziemski, 21, was the first player to replace Thompson in the starting five under Steve Kerr, and his role is only going to continue growing in Year 2.

The question is if that will be off the bench…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/warriors-five-biggest-questions-one-164848664.html

Author : NBC Sports BayArea

Publish date : 2024-09-02 16:48:48

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