With De’Anthony Melton out for the season due to a knee injury, Warriors coach Steve Kerr has at least temporarily decided to go with Lindy Waters III as the team’s starting shooting guard, according to The Athletic’s Anthony Slater. Waters, who started the past three games, has impressed Kerr with his ability to move without the ball, cut to open space and space the floor.
It’s quite a surprise that Waters has become such a valuable member of the team. He was acquired from the Thunder in a draft-day trade for a late second-round pick.
“He’s a good fit in that (starting) group,” Kerr said. “I like bringing Buddy (Hield) off the bench.”
We have more from the Pacific Division:
- Norman Powell missed the Clippers’ game against the Magic on Wednesday and will also miss Friday’s contest against the Kings, according to The Associated Press. Powell, who is averaging a career-best and team-leading 23.3 points, is dealing with a hamstring injury.
- Rui Hachimura has been sidelined by a sprained left ankle, missing three games, and Jaxson Hayes has been sidelined for four games since spraining his right ankle during a practice. Lakers coach J.J. Redick is hopeful both players will return to action next week, according to Khobi Price of the Orange County Register.
- Kerr made a point of telling the media at the Paris Olympics that Suns guard Devin Booker was the “unsung MVP” for Team USA. Booker appreciated the praise, he told Marc Spears of Andscape. “It meant everything. No one really asked him,” Booker said. “That was probably something that was weighing on his heart throughout the whole process. I said it a year prior what I wanted to do for that team and what we want to do for the country.” Booker’s aim now is to win a championship, something that many of his Olympic teammates have already achieved. “Most of the guys that were there, they have done it,” Booker said. “They have been champs. That is the standard for them. Anything less than that, they don’t want nothing to do with it. It’s contagious … It’s all I want.”
What does Moses Moody have to do lol!!
Where do I start? How about going more than 80% and get a clue on where to be on defense?
While we’re at it, how about setting a pic on the wing instead of just jogging past the “pickee” without any contact or resistance whatsoever? Then it would be a great idea if he could be a threat within the team defensive scheme instead of getting lost. A couple of those things would surely help his cause.
Yeah, I like Moody but all the fans demanding he starts and gets a ton more minutes is a little weird. Like, what are you watching?
Moody’s doesn’t seem to able to move laterally that well versus faster players or is able to adjust versus a screen that well. It’s great when he’s against another non-star but man, he sure gets burned often versus a quality SG.
The great thing is that he has developed a three-point shot. That’s come in handy during garbage time for the Warriors.
Nothing like building a big lead, sitting the starters, and then the scrubs lose the big lead and the starters have to come back.
At least Moody will knock two or three of those down to prevent any type of a comeback. So there’s that.
Yeah for sure … and also, he’s still only 22. I can’t wait to see where he’s at at 25-28.
Yes definitely. If he works on the rest of his game and approach the way he’s worked on his shot, he should get better and better every year.
Its come in handy in regular time too, Gary! Your bias against Moody makes your takes on him pretty useless honestly. You really despise him and every post you make on here proves that.
Lindy isnt a great player, he’s the 12th or 13th best player in the rotation with GP2, but he played next to Steph last night and he looked good. Thing is, Moody is the same way, but Kerr hates Moody and Kuminga and loves to play his lower ceiling players like Lindy over them. Kerr has done this his whole coaching career, to infuriating results!
Kuminga and Moody are also 22 and Kerr is obsessed with not developing them, first playing them with the worst players, when he should have been starting them at the 4 and 2.
What Kerr needs to do is send Podz to the G League to work on his offense, he looks completely lost on both sides, and is a way worse player than Moody overall. I really want to see how how well GSW plays if GP2, LW3 and Podz all get DNPs, I bet they can beat anyone by 30 easily if they simply understood who their good rotation players are and who should be used as a burst player. GP2, Lindy and Podz are 10-15 MPG burst players, not “most mins on team” players.
+16 on the floor for GP2 and Lindy Waters, 6 and 8 points better than when they’re off the floor, +12 for Podziemski, but continues to say stuff like this all the time…
Melton was +14.5…their versatility and disruptiveness will take a hit losing him, and you absolutely can’t take other guys you need in that area off the floor, especially to play more lineups with Steph and Hield together…
They’ve been -15 per 100 possessions worse with Moody on the floor than off…
On offs this early are pretty noisy still.
When the rotations that make sense make sense, SSS doesn’t matter as much; obviously there is still a lot there, but if you know how to use the stat, it’s good information for what combinations actually work together, and for people like me, it just helps confirm what you already knew, if you know the actual players skillsets
Also, overall plus/minus is 1 thing, and plus/minus differential on your own team is as well
I’m not trying to suggest Moody is “bad.” He is probably being used out of position or in unfavorable matchups, but I am saying what has put GS in position to be 11-3, with what they’ve actually done so far
+/- is a rotation stat we should be using with a grain of salt, especially on any team with Curry on it. I mean Curry just pulls up and puts +s up no matter who is with him. Its on Kerr to not play his worst players over ones he is paid to develop at the NBA level.
+/- is only important when Davey says so
formerlyz, thank you for these eye-opening statistics !!
I never look into these kinds of things because I just give it the eye test and go from there.
Then I’ll post some thoughts and write about what I’ve seen. If I’m wrong, I’m wrong and if I’m right, I’m right. But it’s fun to comment and hash back and forth with all you guys. I appreciate this website and every one of you who comment often or hardly at all. Good stuff.
Moody sucks.
They’re still mostly neutral against opponents with him on the floor; they’re just 15 points worse than when he’s off the floor in general
“Nothing like building a big lead, sitting the starters, and then the scrubs lose the big lead and the starters have to come back.”
See, you are indirectly calling Moody a scrub here. You are massively biased and hate him. This is your take, own it Gary. Stop lying that you do not hate Moody.
Also, that may have happened last night, but what about the Rockets, Pels, Celtics and Thunder games when the starting lineup got cooked and the bench won the game for them?
Davey is just Moody on a burner account right?
Not nearly intelligent enough for that
Chapmans
Or his Mom
Not be 15 points worse per 100 possessions with him on the floor than off
That has more to do with putting him in rotations that don’t work in general than him personally. Last night notwithstanding, Moody is a great scorer who can be an auto bucket if put in our best units and who isn’t a bad defender at all as long as he only defends guards, not forwards.
Play better!
According to Davey J, dye his hair, bleach his skin and get contacts. j/k
This is something that Babey J will not be pleased about :(
Damn Melton was a good piece with that team too. I always valued his game and thought he brought a defensive identity to the team. Next man needs to step and impact/contribute the same way Melton was doing prior to his injury.
Hope his recovery goes smoothly.
I hope they bring him back next year. He seems to be really happy with the organization based on the article.
I loved Melton, but the odds of him being a Warrior next year are very small because:
1. he’ll be an unrestricted free agent
2. GSW will be trying to trade his $12M expiring contract, which some teams will value highly even though he’s injured, before February
3. his recent injury history will discourage teams from giving him a roster spot.
In addition to the ACL, Melton missed the first 2 weeks of this season with the same chronic back condition that led to missing 44 games last season. And he’s had knee problems before this season.
With the injuries he may be limited to a one year min to rebuild value. Also the Ws could I think extend Kuminga and still be below the second apron and still have the like 7M TPMLE.
Just in case people aren’t acknowledging what a genius MDJ is, he drafted Quentin Post, traded him for Lindy Waters, then traded cash for Post. I have never seen 2 players traded for each other in the offseason end up on the same opening night roster.
Mike Dunleavy is doing a way better job than Bob Myers. I agree with that 100%. I love the strong roster he has compiled and also the tough decisions he made with some guys, including letting loose some former players.
A+ so far.
Yes of course it’s a little early to make a final ranking, but right now it’s not even close between MDJ and Myers.
I love his attitude, I mean his first choice was to trade Moody and picks for PG13 and then at the same time trade Podz and picks for Lauri. Obviously those didnt happen, but we never know in this league, I love that he is trying. His second plan was to try and get Lauri without giving up Kuminga and his 3rd plan was to get as many high IQ veterans who are hungry for a title, and that got us Buddy, Slomo and Melton.
Melton’s injury will cause him to potentially take a minimum deal next season, and being how much he openly loves playing here and playing well here, we might not have seen the last of him.
Gary who you got in FA? We 100% are going to get that injured player exemption, here’s a handy list of all current FAs link to basketball.realgm.com
Gary, there’s a MAJOR disconnect between MDJ and Kerr which points to a much lower grade.
Why turn down trades for George and Markkanen because the other team insists on Podz and/or Kuminga, and then not play those young players?
How do you make sense of offering Kuminga $30M/yr (2nd highest on team) when Kerr obviously sees no future where Kuminga is a featured player? Wouldn’t that precious $30M be better spent on a player Kerr believes delivers such value?
To be fair, Ighodaro was a great pick for Phoenix, and would have fit well in GS as a smallball 5, though I also liked Post, as I said when they drafted him
It’s not surprising if you actually know the players…look at that comment section from that trade, and I think you’ll see a certain someone telling you Lindy Waters is good, and does exactly what people realize he does now; look back a year or 2 further, and you’ll probably see that same certain someone saying similar things back then too…
I think Lindy is good, I just also think there’s 12 better players than him on GSW. Def dont want him traded, just give Kuminga, TJD and Moody more run.
They’re doing worse with all 3 of those guys on the floor than the players they have playing ahead of them
Also, they’re 11-3 and lost a close game or 2…, and I’m pretty sure they’re currently 1 of the top seeds. There will be moving parts to this season, with people getting hurt, so there will be times where Kuminga and Moody will get more opportunities, and TJD is obviously depth for Looney/Draymond…still like 68 games to be played…
Yessir, honestly even though this is the “trade rumors” site and we all are in “that” mode, I am happy with GSW making no moves aside from filling that Melton spot with the upcoming injury exemption they are sure to get.
See anyone on this list who you think is a fit? Curious to your take link to basketball.realgm.com
I don’t think it will be filled right now b/c of the hard cap…
I know Warriors got some good FA veterans but we let Ty go for 2 yr $5m contract. Ouch.
I guess you just never know. Ty did play pretty well that year along with Lamb.
He fits what Cleveland needed way more. They needed shooting from the combo guard/2/3 spots next to all their length and defense, and playmakers, and he can be a little undersized and get minutes at the 3 b/c of their length next to him
Warriors wanted him back but Cavs offered a 2 year deal.
“Ty did play pretty well that year along with Lamb.” You are TROLLING. Lamb was the worst player in GSW history on SEVERAL levels. What a joke. Do you just think anyone who puts on the jersey “played pretty well”? GSW missed the playoffs because of those 2 getting major minutes.
Ty Jerome was awful every single second he was with GSW. He was not who he is now, and that’s due to Steve not developing him. It also has to do with Jerome missing almost all last year with injury, whatever he did in his break is what caused him to become this big offensive force. Defensively he still is meh but better than he was in GSW when he didnt even do anything and just stood at halfcourt and watched them play 4 on 5 to terrible results.
For Davey J. Hate is a strong word if you’ve never met or know someone. I doubt Gary has ever met or knows Moody. So how can he hate him? Just like we’ve never met Davey J or know him.
“Kerr hates Moody and Kuminga and loves to play his lower ceiling players like Lindy over them. Kerr has done this his whole coaching career, to infuriating results!”…Huh? Davey J is obviously not a Warriors fan. He knows nothing about the Warriors. Kerr is the most successful Headcoach in the 80 years of existence. How is that infuriating? The Warriors sucked before he came here. He can’t say it is all because of Curry. They had losing records in his 1st 4 seasons. One of those headcoaches is in the Basketball HoF. Davey just needs to learn to enjoy the amazing success the Warriors have had. It could easily be gone before you know it.
Man i still remember run TMC days, and then the Baron Davis 07 warriors. Good times when it was just basketball being played.
Oh my goodness run TMC. I remember calling in sick to watch the Webber Penny Hardaway draft. It was a dream come true picking up a big man to go with that high octane roster.
In hindsight it would have been amazing a year earlier and Alonzo Morning was the guy instead of Webber. Chris’ favorite player was Magic Johnson so he wanted to be a wing and a ball handler. Too bad it didn’t work out.
You should look up the Warriors 1980 draft and the roster that could have been. They would have been monsters. The Warriors had Curry traded to the Bucks. But, their doctors said he wasn’t worth it because of his ankles, little did they know…The Warriors could be the Wizards.
Finally someone who can spot true fan of the team versus someone who only is there during the hype (Babey J)
And those Barry years too :)