Ranking all 6 potential Warriors starting lineups from gross to gold

Lineup No. 2: Bench Kevon Looney

Starters: Chris Paul, Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green

In terms of which players are most prepared to come off the bench, the clear answer is Kevon Looney. That isn’t to take anything away from Looney, whose combination of rebounding and versatile interior defense has made him one of the best bargains at the center position and a key member of this Warriors team.

One only has to look at last year’s playoffs to see that impact. He completely shut down All-Star center Domantas Sabonis, locking him up defensively and keeping him off the glass, neutralizing the best parts of his game. In 13 games (only eight starts!) he averaged 13.1 rebounds per game, keeping possessions alive and preventing opponents from gaining second-chance opportunities. His value to the Warriors is clear.

The other side of the coin is that the Warriors have a long track record of “going small” and using speed and spacing to force opponents to adapt. Draymond Green can capably defend opposing bigs and players like Andrew Wiggins can step up on the glass. Pulling Looney is a strategy the Warriors have frequently used over the past few seasons, including in the 2022 NBA Finals, a series that ended with the Warriors hoisting the trophy.

If Steve Kerr tells Looney to come off the bench he will, and he will play hard when he comes into the game. His psyche is stable enough to handle the move. The problem is that he adds so much to the Warriors’ defense and rebounding that they lose something by moving him to the bench. Would they gain enough on offense to make it worth it?