The first game of the Golden State Warriors' preseason didn't get off to an ideal start as they narrowly lost to the Los Angeles Clippers 104-101, but preseason is ultimately more about developing a fit for the team rather than wins and losses.

In the process of finding that fit, head coach Steve Kerr experimented with several roations that could reveal the long-term plan for when the regular season begins. 

The biggest takeaway from the first matchup of the preseason as the heavy role that forward Yaxel Lendeborg had during the matchup. The Warriors' 2026 first-round pick played a game-high 19 minutes, scoring four points with nine rebounds and three assists.

While Lendeborg's scoring wasn't on display , shooting just 1-6 from the field with a single three pointer, he did show that he can use his size to his advantage through his board work. For Lendeborg to reach his full potential, the scoring will have to come, but the Warriors do have more preseason to work with for that scoring to reveal itself.

One of the least active players on the floor for the Warriors against the Clippers was guard Gary Payton II, who totaled just 12 minutes on the floor, less than even star guard Steph Curry, who was expected to have minimal minutes in the outing. 

Given that low usage in the first game of the preseason, Payton II's overall role on the team may be called into question. Kerr's reluctance to call upon Payton II doesn't bode well for the shooting guard's projected usage once the regular season gets underway and the stars are actually relied upon for most of the game's minutes. 

Payton II wasn't expected to have a major chunk of minutes on the roster given that he'll at least be playing behind guard Brandin Podziemski, who played 18 minutes on Sunday, but now Payton II's role on the team as a whole is being called into question.

The biggest standout in Sunday's game for the Warriors was center Charles Bassey, who led the team in scoring with 12 points and added eight rebounds on top of that.

Bassey is one of the players who will essentially be auditioning for playing time this preseason, considering he's already slated to play behind centers Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford on the depth chart.

But if he can keep putting in performances like he did against the Clippers, there could be serious consideration from Kerr for Bassey to either recieve an elevated spot on the depth chart, or at least cement himself as the solid third option at center going forward.