SAN FRANCISCO — It\u2019s been 10 days since the Warriors opened training camp, and coach Steve Kerr is having visions of yesteryear.<\/p>\n
He’s seeing Klay Thompson, who in July\u00a0chose to leave Golden State\u00a0and sign with the Dallas Mavericks. Seeing\u00a0Andre Iguodala, who retired a year ago. Seeing\u00a0Shaun Livingston, who retired five years ago.<\/p>\n
They were good for the team on the floor and good for morale in the locker room. Good for the franchise in general.<\/p>\n
It took a few years, but Kerr believes the summertime additions of\u00a0Kyle Anderson,\u00a0Buddy Hield\u00a0and\u00a0De\u2019Anthony Melton\u00a0give the Warriors three incoming veterans with similar attributes.<\/p>\n
\u201cDe\u2019Anthony and Kyle give us, in different ways, a little bit of what Andre and Shaun gave us: Veteran wisdom, high IQ,\u201d Kerr told NBC Sports Bay Area on Thursday. \u201cBuddy gives us a lot of what Klay has given us, that lightning-bolt 3-point shooting. Pin-downs. Causing chaos with the defense with off-ball movement.<\/p>\n
\u201cThose three guys together really fortify our team.\u201d<\/p>\n
The comparison is loose, Kerr conceded, but not as crazy at it might seem.<\/p>\n
As the Warriors’ young core — Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Thompson — blossomed into prosperity in Kerr\u2019s first season, they realized the value of acquiring such respected veterans as Iguodala and Livingston. They brought a certain credibility. They were the \u201cadults in the room.\u201d<\/p>\n
These Warriors — aside from Curry, Green and Andrew Wiggins — have a lot of youth. Four players who figure to be in the rotation — Trayce Jackson-Davis, Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody and Brandin Podziemski — are under 25 years of age. They\u2019re open to advice from veterans.<\/p>\n
Particularly if those vets still have game.<\/p>\n
Hield is 31, as is Anderson. Melton is 26, but he\u2019s entering his seventh NBA season. Through training camp and two preseason games, it\u2019s evident all three are playing at a high level.<\/p>\n
Melton\u00a0is a solid two-way guard\u00a0making a strong bid to start alongside Curry in the backcourt. Anderson is a rangy, subtly clever forward assured of being\u00a0one of the team\u2019s most valuable reserves. Hield\u00a0could be the team’s Sixth Man, a role once held by Iguodala and likely ticketed for Thompson had he returned.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe’ve really been emphasizing running the floor in transition, really sprinting, and Buddy, man, does he fly in transition,\u201d Kerr said. \u201cAnd what it does is pull the defense with him. That opens up other people to be open for shots. I love that about him. He’s a great transition runner.\u201d<\/p>\n
Like prime Thompson, Hield is a 3-point specialist who uses off-ball movement to wear down opposing defenses and free himself for shots, as he did in Wednesday night’s preseason game, when\u00a0he made 6 of 7 from beyond the arc\u00a0against the Sacramento Kings. There is another, more intangible factor Hield brings that is reminiscent of peak Klay.<\/p>\n
\u201cBuddy brings what Klay always brought us before: Everyone just laughs when Buddy is around,\u201d Kerr said. \u201cAnd the joy goes with a style of play, and it feeds on itself.\u201d<\/p>\n
Iguodala and Thompson own four rings each. Livingston owns three. They were essential components of championship teams. They helped the Warriors raise the bar to the highest level.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s not in the forecast for Hield, Anderson and Melton. But Kerr and every member of the front office would gladly accept their help in returning Golden State to an advantageous position for the playoffs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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