The Golden State Warriors wrapped up their preseason with a flawless 6-0 record, and now head coach Steve Kerr has a tough decision to make ahead of the season opener against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Kerr expressed his confidence in the depth of his squad, acknowledging that every player has impressed during the preseason. “We have a whole roster full of guys who are capable of being in the rotation,” Kerr told reporters following the Warriors’ win over the Los Angeles Lakers. “I have some very difficult decisions to make Wednesday night in Portland.”
“Literally every guy on our roster is capable of being in the rotation — which bodes well for the 82-game season,” Kerr added. “We’re well-prepared to handle injuries and any other absences. We’ve got the depth to field a strong group of players every night.”
Kerr admitted that leaving quality players out of the rotation is unavoidable. “No matter how you slice it, we’re going to have to leave some good players out. I haven’t made up my mind yet because I haven’t seen that clear separation — they’ve all been really good,” he explained.
Kerr’s options to replace Klay Thompson
Following Klay Thompson’s exit, Kerr emphasized the importance of spreading the scoring responsibilities, highlighting players like Andrew Wiggins, Brandin Podziemski, Moses Moody, and De’Anthony Melton as critical to filling the void left by Thompson’s shooting ability.
“I want Wigs shooting six, seven 3s. I want Brandin, Moses, and De’Anthony – I want us to be a high-volume shooting team,” Kerr said, via ESPN’s Kendra Andrews. “With Klay gone, we need to fill that 3-point gap. It’ll have to come from multiple people.”
Upcoming Warriors’ games
The Warriors will kick off their regular NBA season on Wednesday, October 23, with an away game against the Portland Trail Blazers. They’ll stay on the road to face the Utah Jazz two days later, on Friday, October 25.
The Warriors will make their home debut at Chase Center on Sunday, October 27, when they take on the Los Angeles Clippers. Just two days after that, they’ll host the New Orleans Pelicans as part of a challenging early-season stretch.