The Warriors are the hottest topic in basketball entering the new season. Superstar Kevin Durant in the mix. But the GSW bench was a key part of their success in the past, and while Andre Iguodala is still there, the rest of the cast of characters is pretty different. How do this year’s reserves compare? Here’s the San Francisco Chronicle reporting:
To sign Kevin Durant, the Warriors were forced to move forward without key reserves Speights, Leandro Barbosa, Festus Ezeli and Brandon Rush. The new-look second unit, however, is impressing early.
David West has flashed his fundamentals and savvy posting up younger big men. Rookie Patrick McCaw is building off a strong performance at the Las Vegas Summer League. Ian Clark, in his second training camp with the team, has been more self-assured handling the basketball. A training-camp invitee on a nonguaranteed contract, JaVale McGee is cementing his status as Golden State’s best rim protector.
“I think a couple people have either said or written that our bench is going to be … weaker than last year,” head coach Steve Kerr said. “I think we’ve got every reason to believe we can play the same way, strength in numbers.”
