Golden State

Warriors

Simply put, Lendeborg was the best player on the floor during the first half of Saturday’s game. The lottery pick out of Michigan recorded 20 points, eight rebounds, three assists and one steal in 15 minutes. Performances like this show why Lendeborg can make an immediate impact, and he’s worth selecting in 12-team drafts. With the Warriors unsure when Jimmy Butler III or Moses Moody will return from their knee injuries, Lendeborg appears on track to begin his rookie campaign as a starter.

Having turned 40 in early June, Horford’s days of fantasy relevance may be in the rearview mirror. However, with Kristaps Porziņģis sidelined again, Horford’s availability becomes even more important as the regular season approaches. He didn’t shoot well against the Kings, but his rebounding and assists were decent. Horford isn’t a must-pick in most drafts, but he’s worth monitoring on the waiver wire in deep leagues.

The extension is fully guaranteed and includes a mutual option in the fifth year as well as a trade kicker, according to Charania. Podziemski is coming off his best season in the NBA where he played in all 82 games and set career-highs nearly across the board. He’s coming off the board in the ninth-round of fantasy drafts this year.

There still isn’t much clarity as to what Porziņģis is dealing with, and the team doesn’t know when he’ll be back around. Porziņģis has had plenty of health issues over the last few seasons, and that may continue to prevent him from being available as the season starts. He signed a two-year contract to remain with the Warriors back in June.

Kelly, who spent some of his rookie campaign with the Mavericks on a two-way deal, is with the Warriors on an Exhibit 10 contract. His chances of making the team’s Opening Night roster are slim, but a night like Wednesday doesn’t hurt. He shot 6-of-11 from beyond the arc and led all scorers with 24 points while also providing solid value in rebounds and assists. Don’t be surprised if the Warriors look to keep Kelly with their G League affiliate this season.

With Wednesday’s game being their second in as many nights, the Warriors rested most of their available rotation players. Among those who benefited was Terry, who is in the Warriors’ training camp on an Exhibit 10 deal. Logging 43 minutes, the former first-round pick recorded a stat line that would make many fantasy managers ecstatic. However, while this was an excellent night for Terry, he still faces long odds to make the Warriors’ Opening Night roster.

As a rookie, Richard averaged 20.0 minutes per appearance and shot 33.5 percent from beyond the arc. With Jimmy Butler III and Moses Moody both out recovering from knee injuries, Richard will have opportunities to earn more playing time. He started against the Trail Blazers, as the Warriors rested many key contributors in the second game of a back-to-back. Despite his showing in Portland, Richard isn’t a must-draft player, especially in 12-team formats.

With the Warriors playing their second game in as many nights, most of the players expected to log consistent rotation minutes were held out. That opened the door for Williams, who scored 17 points in 18 minutes. He earned consistent minutes in Dallas last season, and a performance like Wednesday’s can go a long way toward solidifying Williams’ immediate future with the Warriors. If he’s on the Opening Night roster, $1.4 million of Williams’ contract will be guaranteed. The rest would be guaranteed if he’s on the roster on January 10.

Focusing on honing one’s craft during the offseason, rather than rehabbing from an injury, can make a significant difference for a player. That was the case for Melton this offseason, despite procedures on both thumbs. Last summer was spent recovering from a torn ACL, while a back injury was the issue in the summer of 2024. A healthy Melton can be a factor in fantasy basketball, especially category leagues, whether he starts or comes off the bench. His injury history puts him in “late-round flier” territory in drafts, but Melton can still be a steal for managers.

Moody is working his way back from a ruptured left patellar tendon that ended his 2025-26 season in late March. While he is progressing in his recovery, the Warriors have no concrete timeline for Moody’s return. According to NBC Sports Bay Area, they hope Moody can play sometime in January or February. Moody’s absence creates more opportunities for Gui Santos and Yaxel Lendeborg, with the former starting 26 of his final 29 appearances last season.