Lots of exciting new faces in the Bay.
When the Golden State Warriors open up the preseason in a little over a month, they’re going to look like a different team than we’re used to seeing. Sure, there will be a lot of familiarity: Steph Curry and Draymond Green will still be there, Kevon Looney and Andrew Wiggins likely will be, and Steve Kerr will be roaming the sidelines. B
But there will be a whole bunch of new faces, too. The Warriors had an active offseason, signing De’Anthony Melton and Kyle Anderson, sign-and-trading for Buddy Hield, trading for Lindy Waters III, and drafting Quinten Post. All five of those players bring some unique assets to the Dubs; so which player are you most excited to see lace up their sneakers for your favorite team?
Let’s look at the candidates...
I’ve long been an admirer of Anderson’s game. The “Slo Mo” nickname might sound like an insult to his style, but I’ve always viewed it as a compliment. The slow motion nature with which he plays is a throwback to an older era, and it’s so crafty ... anyone who’s played pickup ball before is all too familiar with the player who dominates the game even though it feels like they shouldn’t. Anderson is one of the most intelligent players in the game, and one of the most unique, too. He’s a joy to watch.
It’s not fair to call Hield a Klay Thompson replacement ... but it’s not accurate to suggest otherwise. He has a different skillset than Thompson, but fits the very vital role of being a well-sized deadeye shooter who can move brilliantly off-ball and defend multiple positions. Hield has shot an even 40.0% from three-point range for his career, and has the ability to pile up points: in the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons, he averaged a clean 20.0 points per game. He’s a good player, but he’s also the type of player who could reach a new level in Kerr’s offense, and alongside Curry.
I’ve long felt that Melton is one of the most underrated players in the league, and the advanced stats have supported that. By Estimated Plus-Minus (my all-in-one metric of choice), Melton last year was better than every Warrior except Curry and Green. He’s been underrated in part because he doesn’t put up flashy box scores: the 11.1 points per game he averaged last year with the Philadelphia 76ers are the highest in his six-year career. But he does nearly everything well. He’s an exceptionally intelligent and selfless player, sees the floor well, and plays incredibly strong defense. There’s a whole lot of Andre Iguodala in his game.
Like Trayce Jackson-Davis last year, Post — the No. 52 pick in June’s draft — is going to have to earn a role before he sees any meaningful playing time. But as a 24-year old five-year senior, he figures to be one of the more NBA-ready players in the draft. And do I need to explain why putting a seven-footer who shot 43.1% from three-point range last year on the floor next to Curry is an exciting thing?
Waters has flown under the radar relative to these other four, but he has all the making of a breakout candidate, especially if the Warriors clear space by trading Wiggins, Moses Moody, or Gary Payton II. He’s tall, athletic, has a gorgeous jumper, and can be a pest on defense. Don’t be surprised if he takes a leap in his first year with the Dubs.
So who are you most excited to watch this year? For me, it’s Melton. I said he has some Iguodala in his game and, well ... damn if I don’t really miss Iguodala.
