Draymond Green missed the Warriors‘ Media Day on Monday and the first two days of the club’s training camp for personal reasons, but he returned on Thursday from his excused absence, tweets Anthony Slater of The Athletic.
As Slater details in an Athletic story, it’ll be Kevon Looney who starts at center for the Warriors this season, but the expectation is that Green will play plenty of minutes at the five. Golden State didn’t prioritize adding more traditional big men this offseason and doesn’t play to use them regularly, according to Slater, who predicts we’ll see a ton of small lineups from the club in 2021/22.
“The league feels different to me than five, six years ago,” Kerr said. “There are more and more small lineups out there. Every team has more shooting, so you have to cover more ground, which is something Draymond is really good at. Then when we’re on offense, we want to have more shooting, so putting him at five, having him run pick-and-roll with Steph and shooters around them, that’s tough to guard.”
As Slater points out, the equation will change a little for the Warriors when James Wiseman gets healthy and is ready to return to the lineup, but the club is planning to be cautious and patient with the youngster’s recovery process. Wiseman could get some rehab work in at the G League level before he plays in the NBA and is unlikely to have a huge role when he returns to action, Slater adds.
Here’s more on the Dubs:
- The Warriors announced a wide range of front office promotions and additions today, including naming Mike Dunleavy Jr. as their vice president, basketball operations and Zaza Pachulia as a liaison, basketball and business. The full list of updates to the basketball operations department can be found in the team’s press release.
- Battling against several other players for the 15th spot on the Warriors’ roster, Mychal Mulder faces an uphill climb to make the team after appearing in 60 games for Golden State last season, writes Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area.
- Tim Kawakami of The Athletic believes Golden State is confident that Andrew Wiggins will ultimately get vaccinated, noting that the Warriors aren’t acting with the sort of urgency you’d expect if they were preparing to be without a starting forward for 41 games.
Only way Mulder makes the team if a injury happens. Mulder is the 15th guy off the bench. Payton or Bradley would need to be injured or fail badly for Mulder to makes the team.
He is still eligible for a 2 way if they waive him and he goes unclaimed. Would another team want him? Maybe they keep him maybe they dont.
I’m curious as to what Mulder actually brings to the table or does to help an NBA team win though. GSW needs more big depth than to be wasting time on Mulder. Bradley is washed and Payton isn’t, I got Payton.
Also, maybe GSW doesn’t even use the 15th right away, they leave it open for the buyout market.
I’m with you Marty. My thoughts exactly. We’ve seen Mulder and what he can do and it’s not enough. Time to move on. The thing he’s supposed to be good at he does in garbage time but when given real minutes he doesn’t step up to the plate. Last year they needed him to perform with the injuries and he’s just not up to it.
I don’t think Gary Payton makes the team either. Defensive tenacity is not enough. Athleticism is there but the game isn’t. Even a slower older Avery Bradley would be an upgrade over Gary Payton. The question is if Avery Bradley can stay healthy. That’s the coin flip.
I’m with you Marty.. maybe they keep that 15th spot open.., throw a couple guys on two way.
Keeping that #15 spot open also saves them a few million in taxes.
It does but I don’t think they care about that. For the right guy they will spend like drunken Sailors. But depends on the guy and that guy is not Gary Payton Jr or Mychal Mulder.
Eventually they’ll fill the spot after the trade deadline and someone worth signing gets bought out, like Eric Gordon perhaps. Until then, the Warriors will save quite a bit of money by keeping the spot open.
I think that’s kind of the plan etched in pencil. Some guy will get dumped and the Warriors will scoop him up and hope he’ll provide quality depth for the stretch run and playoffs if they make it.
Mulder bring 3 pt shooting but I can’t think of much more.
Thank god. Finally a team where the coach says competent things about his rotation. I should have known it would be them