As Warriors coach Steve Kerr tries out different rotations in search of a winning formula, the players involved still are adjusting to each other, too.
And with a bench featuring plenty of youthful inexperience, veteran forward Draymond Green knows Golden State overcoming this newest obstacle could take time.
“It’s a lot different,” Green told Bleacher Report’s Chris Haynes following the Warriors’ loss to the Sacramento Kings on Sunday night. “For the most part, coming off the bench, we’ve had elder statesmen [in years past]. Someone who would come off the bench, slow things down and right the ship.
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“It’s different now.”
Just last year, the Warriors’ second unit boasted veteran talents like Otto Porter Jr., Gary Payton II and Nemanja Bjelica, to name a few. While youngsters Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody and James Wiseman, who was assigned to the G League on Tuesday, all have promising potential, there’s an understanding that comes with having played years in the NBA.
The Warriors lost plenty of that experience in free agency this offseason, but the team signed two new additions, JaMychal Green and Donte DiVincenzo, whom they hoped could help fill that void.
Last season’s breakout star, 23-year-old Jordan Poole, got off to a slow start to the 2022-23 NBA season after signing a lucrative contract extension this offseason. But his 36-point outing in Monday night’s 132-95 win over the San Antonio Spurs showed the flashes of Steph Curry last year's squad was familiar with -- and that’s something this unit needs to adjust to moving forward.
"The reality is the first guy that comes off the bench is usually [Poole], and J.P. is a sixth starter,” Green told Haynes. “That’s a different feel. And I think [past second units] used to be a different offense, but it’s more like the same, and we have to figure that out.
"We need to understand that what you’re accustomed to when Steph goes out the game and the offense changes and there are more sets. But with Jordan, it’s still going to be more of the same as what you get with Steph and I think guys have to really adjust to that and it’s taken some time to adjust to that.”
When asked in September if this second unit could be better than last season’s, Kerr described the current Warriors’ bench with the same word Green used almost two months later: different.
“We'll see," Kerr said. "I thought last year's second unit was pretty special. [Porter] and [Payton] had great seasons. [Bjelica] did some great things for us. It's definitely a different look, but I like the talent level.
“Between Moses, JK, [Wiseman], [Poole], we got a lot of guys with a lot of ability. But the ability has to be matched by knowledge and understanding of the game. That's the real challenge for all these young guys."
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And the challenge for Kerr this season has been finding a combination that clicks on the court.
Anthony Lamb has been another bright spot off the bench, earning more minutes with his play in recent games and seeing action in each of the Warriors’ last five contests. Golden State is 3-2 in that span and 6-8 on the season, though still winless on the road.
But Green isn’t overly concerned with how long it could take the rest of the second unit to adjust because he understands the process -- courtesy of the veteran knowledge and understanding Kerr mentioned.