
The Golden State Warriors, like all the other teams, are now in preseason mode. In fact, their apparent starting lineup for now has just been leaked, but it might be in the team's best interest for head coach Steve Kerr to rethink that opening group even this early.
A glimpse of the Warriors scrimmage in Hawaii shows that they have rolled with an opening group consisting of Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, Draymond Green and Al Horford. Fans immediately expressed their frustration over that development, and they have every right to do so given that the lineup already presents some glaring issues.
Starting Curry and Green are gimmes at this point given that their two-man game is still the catalyst for their read-and-react offense. However, those two are the only players who can be deemed safe choices to open games with.
Warriors going through an open scrimmage in Hawaii right now with this lineup in the blue.
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) October 1, 2026
Steph Curry
Brandin Podziemski
Yaxel Lendeborg
Draymond Green
Al Horford pic.twitter.com/dVgYL0woYE
Starting Lendeborg is gutsy, but there is a lot to like about that move given his promise and athleticism. His three-point shooting improved during his last year in college, and his great size (6-foot-9, 241 pounds) at the position masks some of the natural disadvantages the Warriors usually deal with due to their undersized personnel.
Podziemski is undoubtedly a key player for Golden State, but his game translates better when he is shoehorned into that nominal sixth man role. Starting him simply provides defenses with another relief point, as his three-point shooting and off-ball utility are not firm strengths of his.
Horford is the other tricky part of that lineup. While the coaches do not have a lot of choices given the absence of Kristaps Porzingis, Horford is already 40 years old and is undersized as a center. One could argue that having a paint operator like Charles Bassey would be better than a floor-spacing big man like the veteran, whose ideal role is also as a change-of-pace piece off the bench.
For these reasons, Kerr has to seriously consider changing up his starting five, assuming he rolls with this in preseason. He is leaning into the same template that did not see much success this past season, and Warriors fans are justifiably irate with this inclination of his.
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