Steph Curry speaks on the young core of the Warriors.
The Golden State Warriors were one of the oldest teams in the league this past season with an average age of 28.7, ranking 25th in the league.
Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler, and Draymond Green were all over 35 years old, and those were the three best and highest-paid players on the team.
The group didn't get any younger during the season as they swapped Jonathan Kuminga, 23, for Kristaps Porzingis, 30.
The offseason has seen them re-sign Porzingis and Al Horford, who was signed last offseason and just turned 40 in June.
They didn't even get too much younger through the draft as they took Yaxel Lendeborg, who will turn 24 before the season starts, in the first round.
Hope For The Future
Though the Warriors will once again be one of the older teams in the league, Steph Curry believes in a couple of young pieces thanks to their play in Summer League.
Lendeborg has looked as good as advertised in Summer League, showcasing his all-around skills on both ends of the floor.
Will Richard got NBA minutes last season, but is now thriving in Summer League as a primary offensive option with his shooting on display.
Speaking to the San Francisco Chronicle, Steph Curry was encouraged by what he's seen.
“I’ve seen what Yaxel is doing, and Will hopefully taking a big jump. You’ve got to have a nice mixture of both (younger and older players). We understand the situation with Jimmy being out — it’s a huge salary slot not playing for half the season, so you’ve got to figure out what to do," he said.
How Much Can They Help?
Richard played 69 games last season, averaging 6.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.3 assists on 46% shooting from the field and 33% from three. He won't turn 24 until December and will be looked upon to take the next step in his development as the Warriors need offense, especially when Curry is off the floor.
Lendeborg was drafted with the intention that he can contribute right away being an older player in the draft and armed with a game that should easily translate to the NBA.
Brandin Podziemski won't turn 24 until February and already has three years of NBA experience under his belt. With Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody expected to miss a portion of the regular season, and Podziemski filling a starter's role, he will also be expected to step up on both ends of the floor.
