One is within the top handful of players in the league history. The other may never make it beyond a two-way contract. It therefore sounds blasphemous to compare Stephen Curry with younger Golden State Warriors' guard LJ Cryer.
Yet without the two-time MVP available over the coming weeks, the Warriors simply have to lean on Cryer given he's the only other player on the roster that holds a similar skillset to Curry. More specifically, the ability to take and make three-pointers off the dribble at an over 40% clip.
LJ Cryer's Stephen Curry impression is invaluable to current rotation
When Golden State are fully healthy again, including having both Curry and Brandon Williams available, Cryer likely won't touch the floor unless it's in garbage time during fourth quarters. But in the meantime, the 25-year-old has to be a significant part of Steve Kerr's plans.
Cryer proved that in Friday's blowout loss to the San Antonio Spurs, proving perhaps the only positive from the 123-85 defeat where the Warriors failed to find any offense outside the second-year guard.
He finished with a career-high (and easily team-high) 20 points on 6-of-11 shooting from three-point range. Charles Bassey was Golden State's second-leading scorer with 11, while Cryer's six assists were double any other teammate and also came without a single turnover.
Cryer was also a -11 in his 24 minutes which, although doesn't sound great on first discovery, was actually reasonable based on the context of a 38-point loss. It was refreshing to see someone confidently step into jump-shots off the dribble, particularly when Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs defense were practically begging Warrior players to do so as the Frenchman sagged off Draymond Green.
LJ Cryer should be part of rotation even when Brandon Williams returns
Cryer shot 39.4% from three-point range during his rookie year, and is now at 45.7% during his limited minutes so far this season. There's no one else in the current healthy rotation who can shoot the ball like he does, leaving Cryer as someone who should be playing 20 minutes per game.
Even when Brandon Williams returns from his hamstring injury -- which will presumably be before Curry returns from his torn oblique -- Cryer should be part of the rotation. Williams brings a downhill threat that the Warriors are also missing right now, but he won't compensate for the three-point shooting Golden State obviously lose without Curry.
Whether Cryer becomes a long-term NBA player remains to be seen, yet Friday proved he's a short-term answer to the Warriors trying to manafacture offense over the next few weeks.
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