“Dubs Talk” co-hosts Monte Poole and Dalton Johnson break down the Warriors’ guard depth and look at how Golden State rookie Brandin Podziemski will fit into it. SAN FRANCISCO – Chris Paul will be the Warriors’ starting point guard, at least for Saturday’s preseason opener against the Los Angeles Lakers as Draymond Green rehabs his sprained left ankle. Steve Kerr announced Tuesday after the Warriors’ first day of training camp that Paul, Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins and Kevon Looney will be his first five on the court, barring any setbacks. The question if Paul will start or come off the bench when everybody is healthy still hasn’t been written in stone, though the expectation always has been experimentation ahead of the season opener. “As
As Draymond Green recovers from a sprained left ankle, Chris Paul will start for the Warriors against the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday. “Dubs Talk” co-hosts Monte Poole and Dalton Johnson analyze the Warriors’ guard depth and discuss how rookie Brandin Podziemski will fit into it.
With the exception of Looney, every player in the Warriors starting lineup—Curry, Thompson, Wiggins, and Looney—moves up a space on the court when Paul is added. Curry, who has historically spent a lot of time off the ball in Kerr’s system, would theoretically be more of a shooting guard, while Thompson and Wiggins would man the forward positions.
However, Thompson is anticipated to be the Warriors’ power forward in this group on the defensive, not Wiggins.
In bursts, Thompson can maintain his lead over the best guards in the NBA. After recuperating from both an ACL and an Achilles tear, Thompson, who will turn 34 in February, will show some of his progress in the position where he can use his muscle and length to his advantage.