Warriors camp takeaways: Kerr pleased by players’ conditioning

Warriors camp takeaways: Kerr pleased by players’ conditioning originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

LAIE, Hawaii – Building blocks continue to grow and be stacked upon one another at Warriors training camp on the BYU-Hawaii campus. Golden State scrimmaged Thursday, but didn’t go full court during practice after doing so the day prior.

Coach Steve Kerr is “really happy” with the conditioning and shape that his group came to camp in. Transition defense and offense is a key emphasis going into the 2024-25 NBA season after falling down the rankings last season and not playing their particular style of basketball. To Kerr, the Warriors’ play there has been unacceptable in that regard the past two seasons.

A Chris Paul-style of play in slowing the game down and getting into a set offense more frequently isn’t the product that will be seen on the floor 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, tiring teams out and pushing the pace is back for the Warriors. During Wednesday’s scrimmage, Jonathan Kuminga sprinting down the floor and into the lane created an open 3-pointer for a teammate. That’s one example that will make Kerr happy.

He also feels like the Warriors have the right players at the right ages to get back to being a track team on the hardwood.

“With [Brandin Podziemski], [De’Anthony] Melton and our other guys handling the ball behind Steph [Curry], we feel like it makes a lot of sense to play fast and we have the right personnel to do it,” Kerr said. “But the only way it works is if we take care of the ball and get good shots, and that’s what we’re really working on.”

The Warriors lost two future Hall of Fame players over the offseason in Paul and Klay Thompson. They two also are on the tail-end of their careers at 39 and 34 years old. Podziemski still is 21 and Melton is 26.

Newcomer Kyle Anderson, 31, can feel the different compared to his previous teams.

“Obviously you have to be in shape to play fast,” the man nicknamed Slo Mo said. “Day 1 was a little tough. I’m going to speak for myself, but I think the last two days I kind of picked it up. It’s different being in shape and basketball shape.

“We’re flying up the court, we’re getting back on defense in transition. You got to get your legs underneath you.”

No Wiggins

Though Kerr continues to keep his leaps sealed when it comes to the starting lineup, everybody is expected to play in Saturday’s preseason opener against the Los Angeles Clippers. Everybody except Andrew Wiggins.

Wiggins continues to be under the weather. He has been seen wearing a mask and getting shots up on a side hoop after practices.

As Kerr and his coaching staff insert new installations and search for the right combinations, he isn’t worried about Wiggins’ missed time in the short term.

“It’s why he’s been here,” Kerr said. “He’s wearing his mask, he’s on the sidelines every day and he’s watching exactly what we’re doing. We’re basically doing things that he’s very familiar with, but we’re putting terminology on them. We’re trying to be more purposeful, we’re trying to put in some counters to things that we’ve already run.

“It’s important for him to be here and watch all this stuff. I’m confident he’ll pick up on it.”

A GP2-Melton Pairing? 

Along with becoming better in transition, Kerr wants the Warriors’ identity to get back to being a top defensive team. A healthy Gary Payton II will help greatly. So can the addition of Melton, a 6-foot-2 guard who pestered the opposition with a 6-8 wingspan.

Kerr certainly can see times where the two are on the court together giving the other team fits.

“Could be a good combination in the backcourt putting pressure on the ball, playing passing lanes,” Kerr said. “They’ll both be in the rotation, given how they’ve looked the first few days.”

Before Melton’s campaign last season with the Philadelphia 76ers was cut short to a back injury, he was averaging 11.8 points per game. The past two seasons, he has produced at 58.1 and 58.0 true-shooting percentage, and will be in the mix to be the Warriors’ starting two 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 just flows with him out there, and that’s meaningful. We can’t get stagnant, the ball can’t stick and what I’m seeing from De’Anthony is that he’s a connector. The ball will move when he’s out there. If he’s open, he’ll let it fly and that’s what we want.”

Buddy Buckets

The only issue Hield had Thursday was having to do his media time during Curry’s post-practice shooting. Hield has said he wouldn’t have been drafted so high if it weren’t for Curry and he’s trying to absorb everything he can watching him as a fellow great shooter.

Every practice thus far, it’s been impossible to see the numerous shots Hield is getting up. He’s working with assistant coach Chris DeMarco, who has been a “big brother” to him for years as his head coach on the Bahamas national team.

But for how successful Hield has been shooting the ball, he might be making a slight change.

“He has a high-arching shot,” Hield said of Curry. “They keep talking about how my shot is so flat. I’ve shot 40 percent my whole career. I’m working on keeping my shot higher, though. I might 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 further explained: “If I get more arc I could shoot at a higher percentage. I think that as you get older, you want to get better. You can’t forget how to shoot, but you can always get better. … When I shoot it higher, it goes in much prettier.”

Moody Putting In Overtime

For the second straight day, Moses Moody was the last player on the court putting up 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 that he’s catching and shooting the ball quickly,” Kerr said. “He’s a good shooter. I’ve 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 3-point shot. It takes some time when you’re young in the NBA to figure out how to get your shot off, how quickly, how much time you have.

“It feels like he has a much better feel for catch and shoot. He has the space to let it go. Set up your game with that, and then when people respond then you can attack. He’s been doing a really good job of that.”

With Wiggins out Saturday, look for Moody to be a player to possibly step up in his absence.

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