PORTLAND, Ore. — In the last few weeks, Warriors coach Steve Kerr knew two uncomfortable conversations awaited him before the regular season. He had 12 players he felt could be in his rotation but figured 10 would be the max on opening night in Portland. He was prepped to inform two players — some combination of Moses Moody, Kevon Looney, Gary Payton II or Kyle Anderson — they wouldn’t get a guaranteed minute.
But preseason didn’t provide much clarity or separation. Everyone Kerr threw on the floor, including Lindy Waters III, his current 13th man, performed well, the team went undefeated and nobody picked up an injury. When decision time arrived on Tuesday to trim the rotation, Kerr chose a different path.
“I couldn’t justify (telling anyone they were out of the rotation),” Kerr said. “They’ve all played really well.”
So Kerr deployed a 12-man rotation against the Blazers. He started Steph Curry, Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga, Draymond Green and Trayce Jackson-Davis. He brought Buddy Hield, Payton, Looney, Brandin Podziemski, De’Anthony Melton and Anderson off the bench in the first quarter. He opened the second quarter with Moody, the 12th man to enter in 13 minutes.
“I’ve never played 12 before,” Kerr said. “But we’re going to do it. It’s not easy on anybody, but we just have to trust from one night to the next we’ll find the combination that works.”
They were delivered a soft landing spot to test it out. The Blazers are projected by most to finish last in the West and looked it. The Warriors went big and started slow, falling down 12-3, but the game swung rapidly. The Warriors won the middle quarters by 27 points, led by as many as 37 points and cruised to a runaway 139-104 season-opening win.
Steve Kerr said he will keep the Warriors in a 12-man rotation moving forward. Thought he’d trim to 10, but said yesterday he decided it would be 12. Couldn’t “justify” taking anyone out of it. pic.twitter.com/tl831664pB
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) October 24, 2024
In a blowout like Wednesday’s, there are plenty of minutes to spread around. Curry only played 25, was one rebound shy of a triple-double and sat the entire fourth. Green only played 20, stomped out the Blazers with an excellent defensive stretch to open the second half and then also sat for the night. All 12 rotation players received at least 14 minutes. Everybody was a positive in the plus/minus category.
“We’ll find out (if it’s sustainable),” Curry said. “It’s the identity of this team right now. We can rely on our depth, ability to be versatile depending on what the game calls for. I’m sure there’s going to be a little bit of narrowing down of the rotation at some point depending on how things materialize, but that’s not for us to worry about right now.”
Injuries will inevitably chip away at Kerr’s wide variety of options, simplifying his choices. For example, Green banged knees with Toumani Camara, had a compression sleeve on his left leg postgame and limped out of the locker room. He indicated he would be fine, but bruises and absences pile up over an 82-game marathon. That’s when this depth should benefit most.
But in the meantime, during games when everyone is at Kerr’s disposal, two challenges will arise — one for the coaches to solve the nightly puzzle and one for the players to accept those choices.
“The guys have to understand that some nights are their nights,” Kerr said. “Some are not.”
Against better competition in tighter games, Kerr will have to identify which players and lineup combinations make sense quickly and rearrange the rotation accordingly.
The starting lineup played 11 minutes against the Blazers and was a cumulative minus-2, one of the few shakier groups. Kerr is going with the bigger look to get Kuminga and Wiggins on the floor together, while also allowing Green not to start at center. But that is attached to spacing issues that could enter the spotlight if it underperforms in comparison to the various other available combinations.
“I’m looking to see if that group can set a tone defensively,” Kerr said. “It’s gonna require us to execute offensively, play downhill, play fast.”
Every player has something on the line, but Kuminga’s stakes are the easiest to identify. Because he didn’t agree to an extension this week, he enters a contract season with his financial future still up in the air. To secure what he desires, the court opportunities must be there. He did start in the opener, but only played 17 minutes. He had a pair of charges and three fouls in the first half, which limited his court time.
Kuminga was asked about the fact that his extension didn’t get done in the locker room postgame.
“I’m not really concerned about it,” he told The Athletic. “I’m just concerned about coming out here and performing every other day. I ain’t really thinking about that. The time came and nothing happened. So I’m not very concerned about it much anymore. I can just be me and not think about it. I’ve been through so much. A lot of people don’t know me, don’t know what I’ve been through. There’s not too many things that can break me.”
Moody, who did sign a team-friendly extension before the deadline, was the 12th man to see the floor but made sure to get his shots up once he finally entered. Moody went 5 of 11 in 15 minutes, making three of the Warriors’ 20 3s. As promised, the Warriors operated up-tempo and maintained a high volume from 3 (48 attempts).
Hield was the night’s brightest spot. He scored 22 points in only 15 minutes off the bench, making five of his seven 3s and hustling around for five rebounds. Curry, who spent much of the fourth quarter cracking up with Hield on the bench, praised him postgame.
“He loves to play basketball. Loves to hoop. Loves to be in the gym. Got a great personality,” Curry said, before looking across the locker room at Hield. “Oh, my God. I’m complimenting you right now.”
Steph Curry on Buddy Hield: “Without Klay, you needed shooting. We needed shooting anyway.” pic.twitter.com/8p7GbHrIsq
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) October 24, 2024
The real challenge will come when adversity inevitably hits. What do players think when their minutes are lower than expected in a loss, when their role is dwindling during a losing streak? But the earliest signs have been positive.
“It’s a beautiful locker room,” Curry said. “We have guys that are happy to be here, happy to play the way we do. Coach has done a pretty good job of explaining the situation we are all in. You have to have a commitment. No agenda, no egos. Well, healthy egos. When you’re out there, know you’re supposed to be out there. But if it’s not your night, you can’t bring the team down with your energy. Haven’t seen any red flags of that, which is great.”
(Photo of Jonathan Kuminga: Stephen Brashear / Imagn Images)
