Takeaways from Warriors camp: Kerr happy with players’ conditioning originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
LAIE, Hawaii – The building blocks continue to grow and pile on top of each other. Warrior Training Camp on the BYU-Hawaii campus. Golden State put up a fight Thursday, but didn’t run the full court during practice after doing so the day before.
Coach Steve Kerr is “really happy” with the fitness and shape his group came to camp in. Transition defense and offense are a key component for camp. 2024-25 NBA season after falling in the standings last season and not playing their particular style of basketball. For Kerr, the Warriors’ play has been unacceptable in this regard over the past two seasons.
A Chris Paul style of play of slowing down the game and engaging in a set attack more frequently is not the product we will see on the field this season.
Here are five takeaways from the third day of Warriors training camp, which featured comments from Kerr, Buddy Hield and Kyle Anderson.
Run, run, run
Speed, team fatigue and increased tempo are back for the Warriors. During Wednesday’s scrimmage, Jonathan Kuminga sprinting up the floor and into the lane created an open 3-point shot for a teammate. This is an example that will make Kerr happy.
He also feels like the Warriors have the right players at the right ages to become a hardwood track and field team again.
“With (Brandin Podziemski), (De’Anthony) Melton and our other guys handling the ball behind Steph (Curry), we think it makes perfect sense to play fast and we have the right personnel to do it.” , Kerr said. “But it’s only going to work if we take care of the ball and make good shots, and that’s what we’re really working on.”
The Warriors lost two future Hall of Fame players this offseason in Paul and Klay Thompson. They are also both at the end of their careers at 39 and 34 years old. Podziemski is still 21 and Melton is 26.
Newcomer Kyle Anderson, 31, can feel the difference compared to his previous teams.
“Obviously you have to be in shape to play fast,” said the man nicknamed Slo Mo. “The first day was a little difficult. I’m going to speak for myself, but I think in the last couple of days I’ve kind of figured it out. It’s different to be fit and in basketball shape.
“We move up the field, we come back to defense in transition. You have to get your legs under you.
No wig
Although Kerr continues to hold his ground when it comes to the starting lineup, everyone is expected to play in Saturday’s preseason opener against the Los Angeles Clippers. Everyone except Andrew Wiggins.
Wiggins continues to be in bad shape. He was seen wearing a mask and getting a shot on a side hoop after practice.
As Kerr and his coaching staff insert new facilities and search for the right combinations, he isn’t worried about Wiggins missing time in the short term.
“That’s why he’s here,” Kerr said. “He wears his mask, he’s on the sideline every day and he’s watching exactly what we’re doing. We basically do things that he knows very well, but we apply terminology to them. We’re trying to be more determined, we’re trying to counter the things we’ve already done.
“It’s important for him to be here and watch all this. I am convinced that he will realize this.
A GP2-Melton pairing?
In addition to improving in transition, Kerr wants the Warriors’ identity to return to being a top defensive team. A healthy Gary PaytonII will help greatly. So can we the addition of Meltona 6-foot-2 guard who harassed the opposition with a 6-8 wingspan.
Kerr can definitely see the times when the two are on the field together, giving the other team fits.
“It could be a good combination in the backcourt, putting pressure on the ball and playing passing lanes,” Kerr said. “They will both be in the rotation, given how they looked the first few days.”
Before Melton’s campaign last season with the Philadelphia 76ers was cut short by a back injury, he was averaging 11.8 points per game. Over the past two seasons, he has produced a true shooting percentage of 58.1 and 58.0, and will be in the mix to be the Warriors’ second starting guard.
“The ball moves when he’s out there,” Kerr said. “He’s a combo guard, so he can handle it or play off the ball. He’s a catch-and-shoot guy. The game unfolds with him, and it’s significant. We can’t get stagnant, the ball can’t stick and what I see from De’Anthony is he’s a connector. The ball will move when he gets there. If he’s open he’ll let it fly and that’s what we want.
Friendly buckets
The only issue Hield had Thursday was having to spend time with the media while shooting Curry after practice. Hield said he wouldn’t have been drafted this high without Curry and he’s trying to absorb everything he can by watching him as a great shooter.
In every practice so far, it has been impossible to see the many shots Hield throws. He works with assistant coach Chris DeMarco, who has been a “big brother” to him for years as head coach of the Bahamas national team.
But given Hield’s success shooting the ball, he could make a slight change.
“He has a very arcing shot,” Hield said of Curry. “They keep saying my shot is so flat. I shot 40 percent my entire career. However, I try to keep my shot higher. I could get a higher percentage.
Hield, who has shot over 40 percent from deep three times in his career and has an exact 40.0 3-point percentage, explained further: “If I get more arc, I could shoot at a higher percentage. I think as you get older you want to get better. You can’t forget how to shoot, but you can always improve. …When I photograph it higher, it becomes much prettier.
Moody works overtime
For the second day in a row, Moses Moody was the last player on the court to take shots. Kerr made it a point to name Moody as a player who stood out in scrimmages during the Warriors’ second practice, and where he fits in will be a storyline to watch.
“I like the fact that he catches and shoots the ball quickly,” Kerr said. “He’s a good shooter. I always felt like his No. 1 pitch – if you’re a pitcher and your No. 1 pitch is your fastball, you have to figure out what your fastball is and his should be his pitch. 3 points. It takes time when you’re young in the NBA to understand how to shoot your shot, how fast and how long it takes.
“It seems like he has a much better feel for catching and shooting. He has the space to let it go. Set up your game with this, and when people respond, you can attack. He did a very good job in that regard.
With Wiggins out Saturday, expect Moody to be a player who could possibly step up in his absence.
