The Golden State Warriors struck first in this winter’s NBA trade season, landing Dennis Schroder and a second-round pick from the Brooklyn Nets for De’Anthony Melton and three second-round picks. The deal was completed as soon as Melton was trade-eligible on December 15, with the guard not playing again this season due to an ACL injury.
Schroder is a fascinating acquisition as the team elected to add a role-playing guard to replace one they lost to injury instead of making a blockbuster acquisition which many expect them to do. There’s still time in the window for that, but the Warriors have prepared an objectively strong lineup after acquiring the feisty Schroder.
Let’s take a look at how the Warriors starting five will shape up after the Schroder acquisition.
Point Guard (PG)
Starter: Dennis Schroder
Reserves: Pat Spencer
The Warriors will likely insert Schroder into the starting lineup as the team’s point guard, moving Stephen Curry over to the two-guard spot so he can prioritize helping the team score instead of also orchestrating the offense.
Schroder is averaging 18.4 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 6.6 assists this season as a standout two-way guard in the Eastern Conference. He led the Nets to multiple wins on his own and brings veteran flair to the Warriors backcourt.
The Warriors have a modular lineup where multiple players can fit into various roles, with non-Schroder minutes likely resulting in Steph playing as the point guard alongside the dearth of swingmen on the franchise as the two-guard. Pat Spencer has had some moments this season, but he isn’t ready for a rotational role.
Schroder will start alongside Curry to form a fast-paced and dynamic backcourt with two ball-handling scoring threats, while Schroder promises to bring high-effort defense as well.
Shooting Guard (SG)
Starter: Stephen Curry
Reserves: Brandin Podziemski, Buddy Hield
It’s time Curry gives into what many analysts have said for years about his game. He is not a natural floor-setting point guard and has been classified as a point guard for most of his career due to his ball-handling and scoring ability as the smallest guy on the court. He started his career as a two-guard and has played that role on the court when Draymond runs the offense as the point forward.
Curry is averaging 23.0 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 6.7 assists this season, witnessing a drop-off in scoring as well as playmaking. Instead of forcing him to be an elite playmaker, the Warriors can double-down on Curry’s skill as a scorer by bringing him a point guard to run the court with.
While Curry will have multiple possessions as the primary ball-handler, he would excel as a two-guard and use off-ball screens to get open and sink shots.
Brandin Podziemski and Buddy Hield bring different virtues off the bench, with Hield being a pure shooter while Podz is a do-it-all Swiss-army knife with inconsistent offensive skills. The team will rely on both two-guard heavily, likely switching positions for all players depending on lineups.
Small Forward (SF)
Starter: Andrew Wiggins
Reserves: Gary Payton II, Lindy Waters III
Andrew Wiggins has solidified his position as a winning player for the Warriors this season, averaging 17.7 points and 4.3 rebounds. He’s an excellent three-and-D option for the Warriors who impacts the game on multiple fronts, even when his shot isn’t falling. After Curry, Wiggins might be the most secure starter on the franchise because of his sheer impact this season.
To back up Wiggins, the Warriors have two very different options in their rotation. While players like Hield and Podziemski will also get minutes at the small forward, the Warriors will rely on Gary Payton II as a pure defensive option who has been closing lineups off late, while Lindy Waters III is a great scoring option, cracking over 10 points in his last four games.
The versatility in the rotation will allow Steve Kerr to continue tinkering with his rotations this season, with all these players getting minutes at the two, three, and potentially, four.
Power Forward (PF)
Starter: Jonathan Kuminga
Reserves: Kyle Anderson
The Warriors seem intent on ensuring Jonathan Kuminga is a worthwhile starter for the franchise, even benching Draymond Green recently to give Kuminga more space to excel. He’s averaging 15.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 2.0 assists this season, but he simply hasn’t cracked the code behind what makes an NBA player successful.
Kuminga’s talent as a two-way menace is unquestionable, but he needs to find a way to get consistency in his game. He’s capable of going off for 20 points with 10 rebounds but can easily fluctuate into having a single-digit scoring game where he got benched down the stretch.
This deal would push Kuminga into taking additional steps to ensure he’s the team’s future at power forward, as that would also land him a new contract.
Kyle Anderson hasn’t had much favor on the Warriors this season, so Kuminga will likely rotate at the four with players like Wiggins and Draymond, depending on the need.
Center (C)
Starter: Draymond Green
Reserves: Kevon Looney, Trayce Jackson-Davis
Draymond Green is the heart and soul of the Warriors and their tone-setter defensively. Green is averaging 9.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 5.8 assists this season, but his tepid numbers aren’t a reflection of his value on the court. He’s their defensive marshall and primary playmaker, with some of his offensive responsibilities being eased by Schroder’s addition.
This could lead to Green taking more ownership in being the team’s defensive anchor as a small-ball center, complementing the franchise’s perimeter-centric offense. He’ll likely spend minutes at the four as well, but a crunch-time lineup with Draymond at center might be perfect for the Warriors on both ends.
Kevon Looney and Trayce Jackson-Davis provide options as more traditional centers, but both have perimeter weaknesses that can hurt the franchise. With such a robust cast of players, Golden State will hope to continue contending.
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