Blue Man Hoop
Fansided

Golden State Warriors have no interest in early season minutes for PBJ

By Peter O'Keefe

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 14: Patrick Baldwin Jr#7 of the Golden State Warriors poses during the 2022 NBA Rookie Portraits at UNLV on July 14, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JULY 14: Patrick Baldwin Jr#7 of the Golden State Warriors poses during the 2022 NBA Rookie Portraits at UNLV on July 14, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /
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The Golden State Warriors suffered their first loss of the preseason, falling to the Los Angeles Lakers in an exciting high-scoring clash at Chase Center on Sunday.

It was the Warriors’ first outing at home since game five of the NBA Finals, and the first since the highly publicized altercation between Draymond Green and Jordan Poole last Wednesday.

Golden State’s on-court preseason action has become a sideshow to the severity of that incident, but before it, there were plenty of positives to take from the team’s trip to Japan. One of those was the smooth shooting of rookie Patrick Baldwin Jr., with the 19-year-old’s production initiating the idea of rotation minutes in the regular season.

The Golden State Warriors preseason rotation shows that exciting rookie Patrick Baldwin Jr. won’t feature early in the regular season.

Baldwin made two of his four three-point attempts against the Lakers, with his 58.3% from deep proving a major talking point through three preseason games. But for all the excitement, there are clear signs the Warriors have no interest in utilizing the intriguing prospect early this season.

https://twitter.com/KevinOConnorNBA/status/1576479585369092097

Baldwin may have averaged 10.7 minutes per game, but none of those have come in the opening half. He’s also yet to play alongside any of the Warriors’ core players, demonstrating his place

It’s unlikely the situation will change across the Warriors’ last two preseason games on Tuesday and Friday. After an impressive showing in Japan, and with Green’s absence leaving a hole at power-forward, Sunday’s matchup with the Lakers presented as a chance to see Baldwin alongside Stephen Curry and/or Jordan Poole. Instead, the Warriors sought to have a look at recent camp signing Anthony Lamb in a role that Baldwin could have otherwise filled.

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While he’s certainly displaying his high upside so far in the preseason, it appears the Warriors will be keen on seeing consistent G League production from Baldwin for the majority of his rookie season.

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