Following a fourth-straight loss to the Phoenix Suns on Saturday, it’s clear that Steve Kerr’s controversially deep rotation cannot continue indefinitely.
Kerr deployed 13 players in the first half against the Suns, as the Warriors were unable to stop the hosts’ barrage of three-pointers. Phoenix led 66-49 at halftime, and while a shorter rotation made them more competitive in the second half, Golden State lost 113-105.
Steve Kerr will have to shorten the Warriors rotation
Running a 12-man rotation earlier in the season appeared to be an unsustainable option, so increasing it to 13 is almost certainly going to be discarded fast. There is a case to be made that Kerr should go to nine or ten, with a number of guys in the firing line being removed from the rotation.
Based on recent form, decreasing role/minutes, and a look ahead, here are four players whose rotation status is in risk.
1. Moses Moody
Moses Moody’s continued involvement in these types of talks is becoming tiring, especially given that he recently inked a three-year, $39 million extension just prior to the season. It’s the reality of the situation for the 22-year-old, who was benched in the second half and played less than three minutes overall on Saturday.
Moody has played more than 20 minutes only twice this season. After scoring at least 12 points in three of the first four games, he has only scored 12 or more in two of the next fifteen. It’s amusing because you could potentially make a decent argument for Moody to start, but the drop in role and minutes means he may also find himself utterly out of the rotation.
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2. Gary Payton II
Gary Payton II has appeared in all 19 games for the Warriors this season, which is fantastic given his two injury-plagued seasons. He’s averaging just 12.1 minutes and shooting 17.6% from three, and the lack of spacing makes it extremely difficult to play him more considering the roster’s other non-shooters.
Perhaps it’s time for Payton to be a situational player—throw him out there if an opposing guard goes out of control and can’t be handled, but otherwise Kerr needs to find someone who can contribute a bit more offense.
3. Lindy Waters III
Lindy Waters III’s minutes were good in the first five games of the season, but they have steadily declined since then. After De’Anthony Melton’s injury, the 27-year-old was promoted to the starting lineup, but he was benched on Saturday in favor of Brandin Podziemski.
Waters’ 218 minutes on the court have resulted in a -21 record over the previous 15 games. While it might not sound bad, it is the fourth-worst on the team, which is surprising given that he has spent a lot of time in the starting lineup alongside Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and Andrew Wiggins, all of whom have led the team in plus-minus over the same span. Despite being known as an outstanding 3-point shooter, Waters has only shot 31.1% from beyond the arc in his 15 games.
4. Pat Spencer
Pat Spencer impressed in roughly 15 minutes against the Oklahoma City Thunder on Wednesday, earning him another chance as a backup point guard. His eight minutes in Phoenix were less than dazzling, and he should be dropped from the rotation as long as Curry and Podziemski are available.
The two-way contract guard is decent, but he doesn’t necessarily bring the upside that the Warriors should be looking for given their rotation depth.
