With Kristaps Porzingis sidelined indefinitely, Warriors coach Steve Kerr shared his likely starting lineup for the season opener.
Kerr mentioned he’s “leaning toward” having Steph Curry, Draymond Green, Brandin Podziemski, Yaxel Lendeborg, and Gui Santos in the starting five.
Al Horford, who celebrated his 40th birthday in June, is another option for starting, though Kerr suggested he was not inclined to go that route.
“Al could be an option, but considering his minute restrictions—if he’s only going to play around 20 minutes, it’s probably simpler to bring him off the bench,” Kerr explained to reporters on Monday.
“I also prefer having either Draymond or Al on the court more often to strengthen our defense, so, yeah, I’m leaning in that direction.”
Porzingis has missed all of the Warriors’ preseason games because of an undisclosed health concern. Kerr noted that Porzingis is scheduled to meet with Rick Celebrini, the team’s director of sports medicine and performance, on Tuesday to discuss next steps.
The timeline for Porzingis’ return remains uncertain.
“All of that will depend on when we get him back here, consult on his condition, and assess everything,” Kerr stated.
Injury updates indicate that Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody will likely be out for the first few months of the season as well.
This situation opens up a significant opportunity for Santos. The 24-year-old forward was a starter in 30 games for the Warriors last season, averaging 9.2 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 0.9 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game.
Santos, chosen by the Warriors with the 55th pick in the 2022 draft, has proven to be a success for the franchise. In February, they signed him to a three-year contract extension worth $15 million.
The Warriors are set to kick off their regular season against the Lakers on October 21 at Crypto.com Arena.
