Why Warriors’ three new veterans make Kerr feel familiar originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO – It’s been 10 days since the Warriors opened training camp and coach Steve Kerr has visions of yesteryear.
He sees Klay Thompson, who opted to leave Golden State and sign with the Dallas Mavericks in July. I see Andre Iguodala, who retired a year ago. I see Shaun Livingston, who retired five years ago.
They were good for the team on the floor and good for morale in the locker room. Good for the franchise in general.
It took a few years, but Kerr believes the summer additions of Kyle Anderson, Buddy Hield and De’Anthony Melton have given the Warriors three new veterans with similar traits.
“De’Anthony and Kyle, in different ways, give us a little bit of what Andre and Shaun gave us: veteran wisdom, high IQ,” Kerr told NBC Sports Bay Area on Thursday. “Buddy gives us a lot of what Klay gave us: that lightning-quick three-point shooting. Pin downs. Causing chaos on defense with off-ball moves.
“Those three guys together really strengthen our team.”
The comparison is vague, Kerr admitted, but not as crazy as it seems.
As the Warriors’ young core – Stephen Curry, Draymond Green and Thompson – blossomed in Kerr’s first season, they realized the value of acquiring respected veterans like Iguodala and Livingston. They brought with them a certain credibility. They were the ‘adults in the room’.
These Warriors – aside from Curry, Green and Andrew Wiggins – have a lot of youth. Four players featured in the rotation – Trayce Jackson-Davis, Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody and Brandin Podziemski – are under 25 years old. They are open to advice from veterans.
Especially if those vets still have game.
Hield is 31, just like Anderson. Melton is 26, but he is entering his seventh NBA season. Through training camp and two preseason games, it is clear that all three are playing at a high level.
Melton is a solid two-way guard who makes a strong effort to start next to Curry in the backcourt. Anderson is a lean, subtly smart forward who is assured of being one of the team’s most valuable reserves. Hield could be the team’s Sixth Man, a role once held by Iguodala that would likely be filled for Thompson had he returned.
“We really emphasized running the floor in transition, really sprinting, and Buddy, man, he flies in transition,” Kerr said. “And what it does is pull the defense along with it. That opens other people up to shots. I love that about him. He is a great transition runner.”
Like Premier Thompson, Hield is a three-point specialist who uses off-ball moves to wear down opposing defenses and free himself up for shots, as he did in Wednesday night’s game when he made 6 of 7 from beyond the arc against Sacramento. Kings. There is another, more elusive factor that Hield brings that is reminiscent of peak Klay.
“Buddy brings what Klay always brought to us: everyone just laughs when Buddy is around,” Kerr said. “And the joy comes from a style of play, and it feeds on itself.”
Iguodala and Thompson each own four rings. Livingston owns three. They were essential components of championship teams. They helped the Warriors raise the bar to the highest level.
That’s not in the forecast for Hield, Anderson and Melton. But Kerr and every member of the front office would happily accept their help in returning Golden State to an advantageous position for the playoffs.
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