Warriors camp takeaways: Knox building on strong Summer League showing originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
LAIE, Hawaii – Military training camp on the BYU-Hawaii campus ended Friday in front of nearly 500 students and Hawaiian children, as well as active military members, watching the end of a full-court scrimmage where players were divided into three groups.
Here are five takeaways from the fourth and final day of training camp in Hawaii, ahead of their preseason opener against the Los Angeles Clippers, which featured commentary from coach Steve Kerr and center Kevon Looney.
Blue Team, Gray Team, Red Team
Below is who played for each team.
Blue Team: Steph Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Buddy Hield, Jonathan Kuminga and Draymond Green.
Gray Team: De’Anthony Melton, Gary Payton II, Moses Moody, Kyle Anderson and Looney, as well as Kevin Knox.
Red Team: Pat Spencer, Lindy Waters III, Gui Santos, Trayce Jackson-Davis and Quinten Post, as well as Reece Beekman.
Do you suggest pre-season starters?
No.
At least not according to Kerr. It was easy to assume that the Blue Team could be who Kerr trots out first Saturday against the Clippers. However, Kerr told reporters not to look too far into anything, as he is still mum on his starting five.
“Actually, it’s safe to assume that won’t be the starting lineup,” Kerr said.
Andrew Wigginswho is expected to be the Warriors’ starting small forward, was unable to practice for the fourth straight day and will not play Saturday. The Warriors will reevaluate Wiggins after they return to San Francisco.
What stood out
The first sequence seen during Golden State’s scrimmage after media and others were let in was Podziemski taking a hard shot to the face as the left-hander attempted a layup on the right side. Practice stopped very momentarily before Podziemski got back to his feet and connected on his free throws.
Curry only took one shot attempt during the period, missing a 3-pointer that buzzed in and out. The chemistry between him and Green continues to be on full display as the two found each other for multiple impressive passes and cuts to keep the ball moving.
Misses outnumbered marks, but a handful of made shots stood out.
Looney had a signature running And-1 game picking up a loose ball and finishing at the rim through contact. Melton made two 3-pointers, one on the left side with Spencer guarding him and another at the top of the key in front of Hield.
Kerr wants the Warriors to be a top 3-point shooting team, and Hield will be trusted to help them in that area. The first shot seen was a corner three taken by an open Hield. Knox nailed a three from the left side with Beekman on him.
Moody, who Kerr is urging to shoot more, made a mid-range move when Green was tight against him.
Kerr Says Knox Belongs
One of the more interesting camp storylines is Knox, who has six seasons worth of NBA experience but is still only 25 years old.
Knox accepted a training camp invitation after impressing the coaching staff while playing for the Warriors’ summer league team. Both Santos and Waters are on non-guaranteed contracts.
“Kevin is a really good player. He’s so athletic and long,” Kerr said. “It’s obvious why he was a lottery pick. But like a lot of guys in the modern NBA who get drafted early with very little experience, there’s only learning. and growth process.
“It is difficult for that to play in normal time anymore because everyone wants immediate results. I am just impressed with Kevin’s approach, his professionalism and how hard he works. I think he had a good camp. I think he is a very good player, he definitely belongs in the NBA. He just needs to play, he needs more reps.”
The New York Knicks drafted Knox number 8 overall in the 2018 NBA Draft. He played for four teams in his six-year career, including 31 games for the Detroit Pistons last season. In his final summer league game for the Warriors, Knox dropped a game-high 31 points.
Louder TJD
Trayce Jackson-Davis had a very impressive rookie campaign last season in many ways. Now, Kerr and his teammates are pushing him to be more vocal, an underrated and very important skill that develops over time.
“We’re trying to get him to talk more,” Kerr said. “It’s so important that the five-man defensively calls the coverages and lets the guards know what’s going on. Draymond taught Loo and it took Loo two years to say anything. Trayce will also be difficult. Quinten, we’re trying to teach him the same thing.
“It’s a balance. These young guys come in and you appreciate the respectful approach of “I’m not going to overstep my bounds,” but at the same time you want them to scream the coverage. Whatever the coverage is, they have to shout that. We are working on it.”
For Jackson-Davis, he couldn’t have had a better mentor in Looney for a plethora of reasons. Naturally quiet as well, making Jackson-Davis more comfortable with his voice is just one example of Looney’s leadership.
“He’s just talking more, you can tell he’s a lot more comfortable out there,” Looney said. “Even with the new terminology he picks it up pretty quickly and uses his voice. As a big, that’s probably the most important thing we have to do on the defensive end.
“It’s important to rebound and block shots, but you have to be able to talk to our guards through actions. For him to take action so quickly, it was really good.”
