Rudy Gay, a respected veteran forward, has a long way to go to make the Warriors’ rotation. And his 37-year-old legs will see it all up.
Once the role of Chris Paul is settled and peace comes to the squad, the coaches can start to be flexible with an element that they always believed but is now more muscular than before.
Depth.
At no time in recent years have the Warriors had so many. The slogan “Strength in Numbers” used to be a simple and easy​​​​​​ way of expressing confidence in the reserves. A gentle tap on the arm of those summoned from the bank.
That slogan has never been more true than it is now, as the team prepares for its 10th training camp under coach Steve Kerr.
Signing Gay to a one-year contract, which allows him to compete in training camp, isn’t as significant as it was two years ago, or even last year. What if he doesn’t make the roster, let alone become a fixture in Kerr’s rotation?
If the starting five of Golden State – Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green, Kevon Looney – stays in place, as logic seems to dictate, there will be behind them many talents that the franchise has not yet known. . And, for historians, we include the 1975 championship team, with an 11-man rotation, with only All-Star Rick Barry averaging more than 31 minutes per game.
Regardless of how Paul’s pride is appeased, he is sixth in the Golden State’s order of importance. Slots seven-through-10 are planned for Dario Sarić, Gary Payton II, Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody. That group appears to be a solid second unit, though it will be bolstered by regular minutes from a couple of starters, likely Thompson and Wiggins.
That’s 10 deep for a coach, Kerr, who is most comfortable with a rotation of no more than eight or nine.
Barring injuries or ineffectiveness on the part of the second five, the competition for the 11th man is an incredibly interesting subplot once training camp begins next week.
Gay averaged a career-low 14.6 minutes per game with the Jazz last season and 18.9 minutes per game last year. He’ll battle at least three others — including Cory Joseph and Usman Garuba, along with rookies Brandin Podziemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis — for playing time that isn’t always there. If any of them enter the rotation, it means there are injuries – or someone is disappointed.
The Warriors like every member of what we call the Last Five. However, it is not certain that any of them will be able to enter the NBA court in the upcoming season.
The previous deepest roster was the 2014-15 group, which featured a second five of Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston, David Lee, Mo Speights and Leandro Barbosa. As good, in its own way, as the current second unit. More experience but less youth. The rest of the fight for garbage time minutes is Nos. 11 to 15: Festus Ezeli, Justin Holiday, James Michael McAdoo, Brandon Rush and Ognjen Kuzmic – each under 30.
For three years, all but Holiday were out of the league. The current team could have at least three NBA players in 2026.
What should be noted, however, is that there are opportunities not only for the second unit but also for those at the top of the bench. Paul is 38, Curry is 35, Green and Thompson are 33. Looney is only 27, but he has played in every game over the past two seasons and will likely get a few nights off. Their jobs will be managed, regardless of the new NBA rules designed to prevent that.
And then there is the specter of harm. Curry missed 26 games last season. Paul missed 23 and missed 17 last year. The Warriors realize that there is no chance for the championship if these two do not stay as healthy and fresh as possible.
“Injuries are a part of the game,” Kerr told reporters Monday. “And there are games that men never forget.”
The 11th person and beyond were rarely important in previous years. Unless the first 10 are compromised by injury, those on the outside are relegated to occasional minute spots and many nights of watching and learning and cheering on their teammates.
This time? They can be important and can they contribute enough. The Warriors are short by NBA standards, but they’re as deep as they’ve ever been.
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