Getty Justise Winslow of the Portland Trail Blazers is defended by the New York Knicks' Obi Toppin and Jericho Sims.
Steve Kerr dropped a bit of a bombshell following the Golden State Warriors‘ disappointing loss to the Orlando Magic on Thursday night. Or, rather, he sent a strong message to his players that their reality was about to get shaken up.
“We’re going to have to make some adjustments, make some changes,” Kerr promised. “We’ve had a look, we’ve had what… nine games now? So, we’ve had a decent look at combinations and, so, it’s time to try something different.”
He can hardly be blamed for wanting to mix things up, either.
In addition to having lost four straight games — and six of nine to start the season — Golden State is surrendering a league-high 122.2 points per game, fouling more than anyone (at 24.1 a night) and struggling mightily to rebound (the team’s REB% of 48.6 is a bottom-five mark league-wide).
Much of that can be attributed to a woeful second unit; one that was outscored 45-23 by Orlando. And given the team’s seemingly limited options on that front, Warriors decision-makers may have to look elsewhere for a solution.
The Dual Timeline Dilemma
Heavy Sports’ Sean Deveney spoke to a league GM about the Warriors’ situation, and the executive opined that they’re really caught between a rock and a hard place due to their warring timelines.
“They do not want to trade any of their young guys but at the same time, they are really disappointed in their bench,” the GM said.
Clearly, something has to be done and there’s no easy fix for Kerr to institute. The Dubs’ problems aren’t isolated to a specific player or two, either; they permeate the entire reserve corps.
“[Donte] DiVincenzo is hurt and he was not all that good even when he was playing. Poole has not been great off the bench, and the young guys have not stepped into the roles they thought they would. They defended [Jonathan] Kuminga’s work ethic but they are not really playing him. [Moses] Moody has struggled with his shot. They’ve been back and forth on using JaMychal Green,” the GM told Deveney.
“So it is a bit of a mess there for them.”
GM Floats Justise Winslow as a Possible Option
The GM reiterated that the Warriors likely won’t be breaking up their youth movement in an attempt to repair their current issues. However, the exec did suggest an alternative path toward improving the roster, going so far as to mention a specific player as a potential target.
“They could be active when the buyout market comes into play. If a guy like Justise Winslow comes available, they would want him. Someone who can be a defensive ace like Gary Payton II was,” said the GM.
Winslow — who was selected 10th overall by the Miami Heat in 2015 — is currently rostered by the Portland Trail Blazers. Over six appearances with the club this season, he’s averaging 6.6 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.7 steals in just under 25 minutes per game off the bench.
Meanwhile, the Blazers have been 9.1 points per 100 possessions better defensively when he has been on the court.
Winslow’s size at 6-foot-6 and 220-plus pounds with a 6-10 wingspan and the positional versatility he has on both sides of the ball could make him a valuable piece for the Warriors. Alas, he may not be on the table for them.
“He is probably not going to get a buyout but that is the kind of guy they will be looking for.”