The Golden State Warriors are off to a dominant 4-1 start. With two of those wins coming without Stephen Curry and Andrew Wiggins, head coach Steve Kerr has had the opportunity to showcase the Warriors' depth.
Given the surprisingly successful start, here are five takeaways from Golden State's first five games.
Lindy Waters III should be a rotation piece
With injuries to Curry and Wiggins on Oct. 29, Waters III seized his opportunity, giving Kerr more tough decisions to make with the rotation. That night, Waters III provided the Warriors with much-needed spacing and effort, chipping in 21 points and eight rebounds. Overall, the fourth-year guard has excelled in limited minutes, shooting 47.1% from distance despite only having spot opportunities to build rhythm. In a postgame news conference on Oct. 29, Kerr praised Waters III, stating, "From day one of camp, this guy has been one of our best players, frankly."
Jonathan Kuminga is an awkward fit
This was exemplified by Kerr's choice to bench the fourth-year forward in back-to-back games against the New Orleans Pelicans. Kerr explained that he "wanted a little more spacing" and it was "just about combinations." The decision was a sound one, but the absence of a contract extension and growing trade rumors surrounding Jonathan Kuminga indicate the Warriors' stance on the No. 7 overall pick of the 2021 draft.
Terry Stotts and Jerry Stackhouse's impact
Terry Stotts and Jerry Stackhouse have injected new life into Golden State. Stotts integrating his sets into the Warriors offense adds a dimension of unpredictability for what had become a stagnant Warriors offense, and Stackhouse has "brought a level of accountability we haven't had over the last couple years" on the defensive end, according to forward Draymond Green.
The numbers support both the eye test and Green's sentiments, as Golden State currently holds a top-two defensive rating and a top-four offensive rating.
Golden State Warriors | "Thumb Hold"
— Joe Viray (@JoeVirayNBA) October 24, 2024
A staple of the "Thumb" series from the Terry Stotts playbook (the other being "Thumb Fist"). Wide away screen into stagger away action on the weak side. pic.twitter.com/Gh9Slnzn23
Buddy Hield projects to have a career year
The Oklahoma product has demonstrated to be a seamless fit in Kerr's system, claiming that the "last time it was free like this was at Oklahoma," where he averaged 25.0 ppg his senior year.
Although just five games in, Buddy Hield is currently the Warriors' leading scorer, clocking in 21.2 ppg on a scorching 50% from three-point distance. It remains to be seen whether he'll keep this production up, but he has still averaged 24.5 ppg with Curry sidelined, and Curry's return will only ease his workload and create more open looks.
— NBA (@NBA) October 30, 2024
28 PTS
19 in the 4Q (25 in the 2H)
7 3PM@warriors come back from 20-down to win by 18 and start the season 3-1! pic.twitter.com/MbBXUe31mW
Consolidation should be a topic at the trade deadline
Given the especially stacked Western Conference, every victory matters, and the margin for error will likely be thin for securing a playoff spot. While the Warriors have depth, a 12-man rotation with no true second option would be an unprecedented approach for a championship contender and would require multiple role players to perform at their best simultaneously. With Curry's prime years waning, the Warriors must consider maximizing the return on their assets rather than underusing their players.
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A key Los Angeles Lakers forward might become a viable trade chip as the 2025-26 season fast approaches. L.A. has been going through significant roster upheaval since the start of the calendar year. The team flipped D'Angelo Russell to the Brooklyn Nets for 3-and-D forward Dorian Finney Smith, then blew everyone's mind when it managed to steal five-time All-NBA First Team guard Luka Doncic, plus backup bigs Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris, from the Dallas Mavericks for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a single first-round draft pick. Once summer hit after an all-too-brief playoff appearance, the changes continued. Finney-Smith departed in free agency to sign with the rising Houston Rockets. The Lakers also moved up in the 2025 NBA Draft for the right to select forward Adou Thiero out of Arkansas with the No. 36 pick. Los Angeles also brought in three new rotation pieces: starting center Deandre Ayton (replacing the weirdly re-signed Jaxson Hayes), former Defensive Player of the Year guard Marcus Smart, and floor-spacing forward Jake LaRavia. More news: Lakers’ LeBron James Reacts to Shedeur Sanders NFL Debut in Preseason Still, in a young and deep Western Conference, these moves still don't feel like quite enough to move L.A. into true contender status. The team faces a lot of question marks about its perimeter defense. RB Hayek of ClutchPoints posits that forward Rui Hachimura, who had been starting at the three spot but at 6-foot-8 is really more of a power forward, could be a potential trade piece for the Lakers to reconfigure their roster. A Rui Hachimura Trade Could Help L.A. Reshape Its Future "Hachimura is still a young forward who has a lot of value around the league. If there comes a scenario where the team needs to consolidate salary for a larger attraction, then the $17 million contract would be a critical trading option," Hayek writes. "Likewise, his inconsistent defense and rebounding have been a major reason for the great need for big men. Despite being a tall player, the Lakers forward has not always been the best on the boards." Los Angeles Needs to be Active on the Trade Market This Year In 59 healthy bouts for L.A. last year, the 27-year-old Gonzaga product averaged 13.1 points on .509/.413/.770 shooting splits, 5.0 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 0.8 steals a night. Rebounding, to Hayek's point, has never been Hachimura's strength, but playing out of position certainly hasn't helped him clean up the glass much. The Japanese-born Hachimura has enjoyed an active offseason, training with sumo wrestlers, traveling to the U.K. and most recently to his hometown of Toyama. "The only scenario that sees the Lakers trade Hachimura would include a major need for a top-tier player, or someone who can win the board battle," Hayek adds. "Because they already have James, Doncic, and Reaves as shooters, the need for another one is not high." More news: Lakers' Bronny James Reveals His Welcome to the NBA Moment Latest Lakers News: For more news and notes on the Los Angeles Lakers, visitLos Angeles Lakers on SI.
Oregon wide receiver Jurrion Dickey has struggled to live up to expectations in his first two seasons with the Ducks, and he is now in a terrible position heading into 2025 as well. Dickey has been suspended indefinitely by Oregon, head coach Dan Lanning announced on Tuesday. Lanning also suggested that Dickey may not play for the Ducks again. "We have two team rules; that’s respectful, be on time,” Lanning said, via James Crepea of The Oregonian. “There’s some pieces of that where I felt like he needed a break from us and we needed a break from that so we could focus on what’s in front of us right now. "Wishing him nothing but the best, as far as success and want to see him get back to where he can be a contributor somewhere; that might be here that might be somewhere else.” Dickey was a five-star recruit and rated as one of the top wide receivers in the country when he came out of Menlo-Atherton High School in Atherton, California, in 2023. He suffered an injury in his senior year in high school and redshirted as a freshman at Oregon. Dickey has two catches for 14 years during his time with the Ducks. Oregon went 13-1 in Lanning's third season with the program last season. The Ducks lost to eventual national champion Ohio State in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals.
On Tuesday night, the Milwaukee Brewers extended their winning streak to 11 games, and a key part of the team's momentum is a player who is in the National League MVP race. The red-hot Brewers entered Tuesday night facing one of the biggest threats to their winning streak, Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes. Milwaukee torched Skenes for two home runs and four earned runs in 4.0 innings pitched. Brewers first baseman Andrew Vaughn added extra damage in the sixth inning with a three-run home run that increased Milwaukee's lead to 12-0. Per Bob Nightengale of USA Today, Vaughn is in the NL MVP race after his home run on Tuesday night. "Andrew Vaughn suddenly in top 10 NL MVP discussion with another 3-run HR, giving him 32 RBI since joining the Brewers," Nightengale posted on X. "He is the gift that keeps on giving from the White Sox. They are about to go 24-4 since his arrival." Vaughn has helped the Brewers overrun and then take a commanding lead on the Chicago Cubs in the NL Central. Following their 14-0 win Tuesday night, the Brewers extended their lead to 7.5 games over the Cubs for first place. Vaughn is turning out to be a steal for the Brewers, as Milwaukee only gave up veteran pitcher Aaron Civale and cash considerations for the first baseman on June 13. While Vaughn might have a case to be in the top 10, he has much work before he becomes a legitimate contender for the NL MVP. Per FanDuel, Los Angeles Dodgers star slugger Shohei Ohtani leads the race with -20000 odds. Philadelphia Phillies left fielder Kyle Schwarber is second with +1800 odds. Those two players have been more consistent this season, whereas Vaughn has come on strong since leaving Chicago.
The Pittsburgh Steelers reportedly grew "fed up with" George Pickens before they traded the mercurial wide receiver to the Dallas Cowboys in May. While speaking with reporters on Tuesday, first-year Cowboys head coach Brian Schottenheimer indicated that Pickens has been nothing but a model employee over his first several months with the organization. "From the time we got George and he came into my office, he made it clear that he wants to be coached," Schottenheimer said, Sports Illustrated's Tyler Reed shared. "He wants to be a great player. He told me to 'lean into me, be tough on me.' He’s been nothing but incredible in terms of the way he’s worked and communicated with us." Per the Cowboys' website, Pickens has been responsible for multiple highlight-reel plays during training camp. That's hardly surprising, as the 2022 second-round draft pick flashed all kinds of physical talent across his three seasons with the Steelers. That said, Pickens also developed a reputation during his Pittsburgh tenure with his emotional outbursts during games and for looking displeased over a lack of targets while on the sidelines. Additionally, he allegedly was guilty of a "litany of violations," such as showing up late for Pittsburgh's Christmas Day game against the Kansas City Chiefs last season. It's no secret that Schottenheimer and Co. hope that having No. 1 receiver CeeDee Lamb as a teammate will help keep Pickens on his best behavior through the upcoming season. On Tuesday, Schottenheimer said that "the relationship [Pickens] has with CeeDee is special." Pickens has many reasons to want to excel while with the Cowboys. He is in the final year of his rookie contract and is not expected to receive an extension before the season begins. Meanwhile, DraftKings Sportsbook had Dallas at +180 betting odds to make the playoffs this season as of Wednesday morning. Pickens will get his first real opportunity to show the Steelers made a mistake by letting him go with a prime-time matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sept. 4.