Report: Three spots in Warriors’ starting lineup considered ‘wide open’ Originally appeared in NBC Bay Area Sports
With Klay Thompson is no longer on the sceneThe Warriors will center their lineups and rotations around Steph Curry and Draymond Green going forward.
Apart from The two veteran warriorsThe rest of Golden State’s starting lineup for the 2024-25 NBA season is up for grabs. The three remaining spots in the starting lineup (and rotation) will be considered “open” heading into training camp. ESPN’s Kendra Andrews reported Wednesday, citing sources.
Two players that Golden State is depending on to make significant strides next season are their 2021 lottery picks, Jonathan Kuminga and Moses Moody, who are now eligible for rookie contract extensions.
Both young players are primed to take on larger roles with the Warriors, along with second-year players Brandin Podziemski and Trayce Jackson-Davis, who are now expected to remain on the roster after many Off-season trade speculation.
But nothing will be handed to them, a source told Andrews, and a spot in the top-five lineup alongside Curry and Green is a fair goal for everyone on the roster.
The Warriors made a few off-season additions this summer, including De’Anthony Melton, Buddy Hield and Kyle Anderson.
Kuminga and Moody, who are entering their fourth NBA seasons, are both eligible for five-year extensions. The deadline for each contract extension is the last day before the start of the 2024-25 season, typically in October. If neither sign an extension, they will become unrestricted free agents after the 2024-25 season.
Kuminga is eligible to sign a five-year extension worth up to $224 million, while Moody’s deal could range from $11 million to $13 million per season, Andrews notes, adding that talks about extensions for those players have not yet been a priority for the Warriors, but general manager Mike Dunleavy said, “Those things will get better.”
“We want those guys here,” Dunleavy said. “We believe in them, we recruited them.”
Dunleavy and the Warriors believe in the young duo, now it’s up to Kuminga and Moody to prove they belong in the starting lineup as a new era of Warriors basketball begins.