It is in Hawaii, where Don Nelson lives in peaceful retirement, that the Warriors have decided to prepare for the 2024/25 season. Even though he had missed two training camps in a row due to his serious injuries, a page is turning in the franchise with the departure of Klay Thompson, and the question of his successor in the starting five now arises.
Last season, Brandin Podziemski had already shaken up the established order, but the “sophomore” has competition before imagining himself starting alongside Stephen Curry. “There is competition in all sectors”, assures Steve Kerr. “It's not as simple as asking 'who will be in position 2'… You have to ask yourself 'who will be in position 5', 'who will be in position 4'… We know that Steph is in position 1. But what is the combination? »
Find the right formula to balance the rotation
ESPN remember that last season, the Warriors used 27 different starting fives! For Steve Kerr, the question of the starters also arises from the automatisms of the five replacements. You have to find the right balance, and the departure of Klay Thompson shuffles the cards.
“The starting five will have to depend not only on the automatisms between the five players, but also on those with the “second unit””confirms Steve Kerr. “We have a lot of work to do to determine the different fives. All the guys can do is get involved in the competition and give it their all. »
For the 2 position, Brandin Podziemski, De'Anthony Melton and Buddy Hield will compete, and each has qualities that complement Stephen Curry. “We have a guy with a defensive mentality in Melton. We have a guy who connects, who can dribble and create with Brandin, and we started a few times together last year,” analyzes Stephen Curry. “You have Buddy who can shoot, space the game and he’s a veteran. We have a lot of options.”
The opportunity to “reinvent yourself a little”
But as Steve Kerr explains, with the exception of Stephen Curry and of course Draymond Green, everything is open. At the pivot position, Kevon Looney will compete with Trayce Jackson-Davis. At position 3, Jonathan Kuminga could push Andrew Wiggins to the bench… Unless Kyle Anderson grills them at the post.
“We feel like we're making a fresh start, whereas last year we felt like we were an extension of what we already were,” summarizes Steve Kerr. “It gives us the opportunity to reinvent ourselves a little bit. It's easier when you know your starting five and your first four players off the bench. It's much easier for a coach to know this. But that's not the case for us. This is why we must transform this into something positive and into competition… Let us establish our identity based on this competition.”
