The post-Klay Thompson era has dawned on the Golden State Warriors as they began training camp in Hawaii.
Thompson, who had been a fixture at the Warriors’ starting backcourt and Stephen Curry‘s “Splash Brother,” has also turned a new page with his new team, the Dallas Mavericks.
When asked who should replace Thompson as his starting backcourt mate, Curry was taken aback.
“That’s a great question,” Curry told reporters after the first day of training camp. “We have options, obviously. We have a defensive-minded guy like [De’Anthony] Melton. You got a guy who is kind of a connector, can put the ball on the floor (and) create like BP (Brandin Podziemski). Me and BP started a couple of times last year. You got Buddy [Hield], who can shoot (and) space the floor, a veteran who knows how to play.”
The New Additions
Melton and Hield are two of the three Warriors’ biggest acquisitions this offseason. They both arrived from Philadelphia, where they did not see much action in their first-round playoff loss to the New York Knicks last season.
Melton has a two-way ability, which, on paper, complements Curry in the Warriors’ backcourt.
Although Melton is just a 6-foot-3 guard, he boasts a 6-foot-8 wingspan, which is his trump card in earning a reputation as a pesky defender.
“Mindset,” Curry said of what makes Melton such a good defender. “He’s built his identity around it. He has the skill set, the wingspan, the foot speed, the IQ.”
“There are a lot of guys that just hang their hat on being a defensive guy, knowing that’s how they help the team win. He works on it mentally and physically. He just wants to be healthy and showcase who he can be on that end.”
A back injury slowed Melton down in Philadelphia. But he still finished the season averaging 10.1 points and 1.6 steals per game while shooting 39% from the 3-point distance, which greatly appealed to the Warriors, making him a priority free-agent signing in the offseason.
Hield, on the other hand, has been the most prolific 3-point shooter in the NBA over the last five years.
He has hit 1,322 3-pointers, 58 more than Curry, who is second on the list, per Statmuse.
Hield’s outside shooting alone should make him the ideal clone of Thompson in the Warriors backcourt.
“Dude’s a knockdown shooter that can space the floor,” Curry said of Hield during the Warriors’ media day on October 1.
But Curry added, “Obviously, we need a defensive mindset as well when it comes to all five guys, no matter who you’re out there.”
The Holdover
The Warriors made Podziemski untouchable in their trade talks this offseason.
And for good reason.
As a rookie, Podziemski led the NBA in offensive fouls drawn (38), showing his commitment to sacrifice his body on the defensive end. Surprisingly, he led the Warriors in total rebounds (427) despite being a guard. Most importantly, the Warriors were plus-264, which is No. 1 in the team, when Podziemski was on the floor.
For those reasons, Podziemski earned the starting job over Thompson as the season went along.
Warriors’ coach Steve Kerr often called Podziemski as the team’s “connector” and should be the favorite to start again alongside Curry in the backcourt.
“I like where we’re at with our options, though,” Curry said, “because I know with this roster, we’re going to have a lot of different takes on it as we go through the season, and I’m confident we can adjust depending on who gets that role.”
The competition for the starting spot next to Curry is one of the most intriguing storylines of the Warriors training camp.
Alder Almo is a basketball journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com. He has more than 15 years of experience in local and international media, including broadcast, print and digital. He previously covered the Knicks for Empire Sports Media and the NBA for Off the Glass. Alder is from the Philippines and is now based in Jersey City, New Jersey. More about Alder Almo
