Trying to work out what the Golden State Warriors rotation will look like entering the season is like trying to pick a needle out of a haystack.
There's plenty of focus rightfully on the makeup of Steve Kerr's starting lineup, but from the top to the bottom of the roster there's question marks that leave a wide range of possible answers.
Buddy Hield could be in for 25 minutes per game in the Warriors rotation
After losing Klay Thompson to the Dallas Mavericks in the offseason, the addition of Buddy Hield has always been seen as the most like-for-like replacement as one of the best three-point shooters in the league.
As a result Hield is a legitimate option to take Thompson's vacated spot in the starting lineup. That will depend on whether Kerr wants to prioritize shooting, the defense of another former 76er in De'Anthony Melton, or the versatility and upside of second-year guard Brandin Podziemski.
But even if Hield doesn't have a starting role, the 31-year-old could still be in for a greater role than many expect. According to Anthony Slater of The Athletic on Wednesday, some internally think Hield could be in for around 25 minutes per game.
"Considering how the Warriors want to play in the wake of Thompson’s departure, that specific skill is what has some within the team predicting Hield to be earning around 25 minutes a night," Slater wrote.
Given some of the defensive concerns and the fact he averaged just 12.8 minutes in Philadelphia's first-round playoff series defeat to the New York Knicks last season, most would consider 25 minutes per game as a significant high point for Hield.
There's also the factor of how many options Kerr will have available at a similar position -- Podziemski, Melton, Andrew Wiggins, Moses Moody, Gary Payton II, Lindy Waters III -- players who aren't the shooter that Hield is, but bring different elements to the table and who could all play at the two or the three.
These are the conversations that make this Golden State season so interesting, and why there's such a keen eye on what happens across training camp in Hawaii and the six preseason games to come, starting against the L.A Clippers on Saturday. If Hield is averaging 25 minutes per game you shouldn't be surprised, but neither should you be shocked if there's periods where he's all of a sudden out of Kerr's rotation entirely.
