The Golden State Warriors have a starting lineup spot up for grabs. Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody are both recovering from serious knee injuries. And according to ESPN’s Anthony Slater, rookie Yaxel Lendeborg might be the one to fill it.
Slater shared the exchange on NBA Today, relaying what Lendeborg told him about his early conversations with Steve Kerr. The rookie mentioned Kerr’s reputation for not playing first-year guys. But then he added that Kerr told him something else entirely. He might start.
That’s not nothing. Kerr has leaned on veterans for years, especially in high-stakes moments. Rookies have had to earn their minutes the hard way. But Lendeborg, the 23-year-old forward out of Michigan, isn’t your typical first-year player.
He won a national championship in college, became an NBA lottery pick at No. 11, and then went to Las Vegas and walked away with both Summer League MVP and the Summer League Championship Game MVP. That kind of run catches a coach’s attention.
There’s also the matter of experience. Lendeborg came into the draft as one of the most seasoned players in the class. He’s older, more polished, and he plays like someone who knows what he’s doing. His versatility on both ends of the floor has already impressed the coaching staff and fans. He can score inside, step out and shoot, and defend multiple positions.
Kerr will make him prove it beyond Summer League, obviously. The next few months matter a lot. Training camp, preseason games, practice reps. All of it will factor into the decision. But if Lendeborg keeps playing the way he did in Vegas, he could lock down that starting job by opening night.
And that would be a big deal for a Warriors team that’s trying to figure out what comes next. Stephen Curry and Draymond Green aren’t getting any younger. The franchise needs younger pieces who can carry weight now, not just develop for years down the road. Lendeborg might be one of those guys.
He’s also been making noise off the court with bold soundbites and even some LeBron James recruiting pitches. But the real story is simple: a rookie with genuine confidence and a coach willing to give him a shot. That combination doesn’t come around often in Golden State.
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