The Chase Center is loud, even in October. People say the preseason is meaningless, but they aren't watching Steve Kerr’s face on the sideline when a defensive rotation misses by a half-step. For the Golden State Warriors preseason isn't just a warm-up act anymore; it’s a high-stakes laboratory where the chemistry for a post-Klay Thompson era is being synthesized in real-time.
If you think these games are just about cardio, you're missing the point. Honestly, the shift in the roster dynamics is the most drastic we've seen since Kevin Durant showed up in 2016. But this time, it’s about depth, not just star power.
The Buddy Hield and De'Anthony Melton Integration
Replacing a legend is impossible. You don't "replace" Klay. You just try to find a different way to win. The early look at Buddy Hield in a Warriors jersey is, frankly, terrifying for the rest of the league if his shooting splits hold up. He’s running the same pindown screens that Klay mastered, and while his defense is... let's call it "a work in progress," his gravity is real.
De'Anthony Melton is the sneaky one, though. Everyone talks about the shooting, but Melton’s "stocks"—steals and blocks—are what Kerr is obsessed with right now. During the recent stretch of games, Melton has shown he can play alongside Steph Curry without being a liability on the other end. That’s huge. If the Warriors can maintain a top-10 defense while Curry is on the floor, they aren't just a play-in team. They're a threat.
The coaching staff is experimenting with a three-guard lineup that looks frantic. It’s fast. It’s small. It relies on Draymond Green playing like he’s 25 again, covering every single gap in the paint. It's a gamble.
Brandin Podziemski and the Sophomore Leap
There was a lot of noise over the summer about Podz being "untouchable" in trade talks. That puts a massive target on a kid's back. In the Golden State Warriors preseason games we've watched so far, Podziemski isn't playing like a backup. He’s playing like a guy who wants to lead the league in charges drawn and secondary assists.
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He's got this weird, jerky rhythm to his game that throws defenders off. It's not explosive, but it's effective. The chemistry between him and Jonathan Kuminga is the bridge to the future. Kuminga, by the way, looks like he spent the entire offseason in a weight room and a film room. His decision-making—usually his Achilles' heel—has been surprisingly crisp. He’s attacking the rim with a level of violence that this team has lacked since Andre Iguodala’s prime.
"The game is slowing down for JK," Steve Kerr mentioned during a recent practice session. "He’s seeing the extra pass before he even catches the ball."
That’s the kind of quote that makes Warriors fans breathe a sigh of relief. If Kuminga becomes a consistent 20-point-per-game threat who actually understands the "0.5-second" offense, the ceiling for this team shifts from "first-round exit" to "Western Conference Finals dark horse."
The Logic of the 12-Man Rotation
Kerr is doing something weird. He’s playing twelve guys. Usually, coaches tighten things up to eight or nine by the third preseason game. Not here.
The Warriors are deep. Like, "we have too many good players" deep. Kyle Anderson—Slo-Mo—is already proving why he’s a genius signing. He doesn't fit the "pace and space" mold, but he fits the "smart basketball" mold perfectly. Watching him orchestrate the second unit is like watching a master chess player who moves at half-speed. It works because the guys around him, like Moses Moody, are finally getting the minutes they need to find a rhythm.
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Speaking of Moody, the guy just produces. Every time he's on the floor during the Golden State Warriors preseason, his Net Rating is through the roof. He’s the ultimate "connector" player. He hits the corner three, he boxes out the seven-footer, and he never complains. It’s hard to see how Kerr keeps him out of the regular-season rotation this time around.
Defending the Perimeter Without a True Center
The elephant in the room is the size. Trayce Jackson-Davis is great. He’s bouncy, he’s a lob threat, and his timing on blocks is elite for a young player. But he’s still 6'9". When the Warriors face the Jokics and Embiids of the world, they’re going to struggle.
The preseason has shown a heavy reliance on "scrambling" defense. This means a lot of double-teaming the post and then sprinting out to shooters. It requires an insane level of conditioning. You can see the players huffing and puffing more than usual. This isn't the stroll-through-the-park Warriors of 2018. This is a team that has to outwork people because they can't out-size them.
- Pace of Play: The Warriors are currently leading the preseason in transition points.
- Three-Point Volume: They are taking nearly 45 threes a game.
- Turnover Margin: Surprisingly, the "reckless" passes have been kept to a minimum, a major point of emphasis for Draymond Green this year.
Draymond's New (Old) Role
Draymond is the heartbeat. We know this. But in the Golden State Warriors preseason, he’s been playing more as a traditional point-forward than a screening hub. With Chris Paul gone, the responsibility to settle the team down falls on Draymond and Steph even more than before.
He looks lean. He looks focused. More importantly, he hasn't picked up a technical foul in October. If he stays on the floor, the defense stays viable. If he gets suspended or loses his cool, the whole house of cards collapses. There is no backup Draymond. Kyle Anderson is a "Draymond-lite," but he doesn't have the defensive range to anchor a championship-level unit.
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Key Takeaways for the Regular Season
Watching the film from these exhibition games, a few things are crystal clear. First, the starting lineup isn't set in stone. Kerr is still toggling between starting Andrew Wiggins or moving Kuminga to the three and playing a bigger lineup. Wiggins looks healthy, which is a massive variable. When he’s aggressive, the Warriors are a different animal.
Second, the bench is going to win them games in January and February. When other teams are tired and dealing with injuries, the Warriors' ability to throw out 10 or 11 guys who actually know the system is going to result in a lot of "trash man" wins.
Practical Steps for Following the Warriors This Season:
- Watch the First Quarter Rotations: Pay attention to who is the first sub off the bench. If it’s consistently Moses Moody, it means he’s finally earned Kerr’s trust over the veterans.
- Track the "Non-Steph" Minutes: The Golden State Warriors preseason has shown that the team is much more stable when Steph sits compared to last year. If the net rating stays neutral while Steph rests, they are a 50-win team.
- Monitor the Kuminga Extension Talks: His play in these games is directly tied to his market value. If he keeps playing at an All-Star level, the front office is going to have to open the checkbook sooner rather than later.
- Look at Buddy Hield’s Shot Quality: Is he getting wide-open looks, or is he forcing contested jumpers? In the Warriors' system, the ball should do the work. If he’s "hunting" shots, it might disrupt the flow.
The reality is that the Golden State Warriors preseason has provided more answers than questions. They’ve replaced a splash brother with a committee of elite role players and a hungry group of young wings. It’s a different look, and it might just be the pivot that keeps Steph Curry in the hunt for a fifth ring. The "Strength in Numbers" mantra is back, but this time, it’s not a marketing slogan. It’s a survival tactic.