"A little tricky for us, given the pieces and Al's age": Steve Kerr still undecided on Warriors' starting 5 as one position up for grabs

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The Golden State Warriors currently have three players locked into their starting lineup, which includes Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green. However, with three preseason games already behind them, head coach Steve Kerr is still unsure who will fill the remaining two spots alongside the All-Star trio.

After the Warriors’ 126–116 loss to the LA Lakers on Sunday, Kerr talked about the Warriors’ lineup situation. He praised Brandin Podziemski and emphasized how crucial he will be for the team this season. Still, Kerr didn’t commit to whether Podziemski would start, though he made it clear the young guard will play significant minutes.

Kerr also admitted that Al Horford’s age, 39, limits his ability to log heavy minutes. Hence, starting Horford, who was brought on to be Kevon Looney’s replacement, becomes a huge challenge.

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“We've got to see where we are,” Kerr said. “Brandin's going to play a ton. He's a hugely important player for us. But the starting lineup frankly is a little tricky for us, given the pieces and Al's age.”

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“If Al were a little younger, he'd be in the starting lineup for sure. But if he's gonna play limited minutes, it's tougher to start him and finish the game if he's not playing as many minutes as he would have a few years ago. So we still have a lot to think about, but Brandin is gonna be a huge part of it one way or the other.”

If Horford doesn’t start, Kerr has two main options. He could use a small-ball lineup with Draymond Green playing center, or he could give the starting center role to either of the two yungsters in Quentin Post or Trayce Jackson-Davis.

If Green is moved to center, Butler would likely shift to power forward. That would leave Curry and Podziemski in the backcourt, with the small forward spot open for Buddy Hield, Jonathan Kuminga, or Moses Moody.

With several lineup combinations possible, Kerr will need to closely evaluate the Warriors’ final two preseason games before making his decision.

Steph Curry and Jimmy Butler to return for Warriors' upcoming preseason game

The Golden State Warriors’ matchup against the LA Lakers on Sunday saw Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Moses Moody all sitting out.

Moody will remain sidelined for the rest of the preseason due to a left calf issue. Fortunately, the team isn’t too worried about it.

“Moses Moody will miss the final three preseason games with a left calf issue, per Kerr. Warriors are hopeful he can get back in time for the regular season opener. Moody hurt it in practice recently. “Not too concerned,” Kerr said,” Anthony Slater wrote on X.

Moses Moody will miss the final three preseason games with a left calf issue, per Kerr. Warriors are hopeful he can get back in time for the regular season opener. Moody hurt it in practice recently. “Not too concerned,” Kerr said.

Curry and Butler are expected to return to the lineup for the Warriors’ next game on October 14 against the Portland Trail Blazers. Draymond Green, who played on Sunday, will be given rest on Tuesday.

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About the author

Advait Jajodia

Advait Jajodia is an NBA, WNBA, and tennis journalist at Sportskeeda with over four years of experience in the field with The SportsRush.

Advait has a love of basketball that stems from playing the game, and has represented Mumbai North at the Inter-District State Championship and Maharashtra at the ASISC National Games.

His favorite team is the New Orleans Pelicans, although Advait also has an affinity for the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs. His favorite player of all time was Kobe Bryant, as the Lakers legend's undeniable talent and mentality were just unignorable. As for players in the current game, Stephen Curry, Zion Williamson, Victor Wembanyama, and Kyrie Irving are top of Advait's list.

When not watching or writing about sports, Advait is a fan of true crime shows, board games and console gaming.

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