A preseason schedule quirk will give even more opportunity to the Golden State Warriors' unproven pieces, with Stephen Curry and other veterans set to be rested from Wednesday's game against the Portland Trail Blazers.
For some reason the Warriors have a preseason back-to-back and three games in four nights. After Sunday's preseason opener against the L.A. Clippers, the Warriors will face the Los Angeles Lakers at home on Tuesday followed by a visit to Portland 24 hours later.
Warriors plan to rest Stephen Curry and other veterans against Portland
According to ESPN's Anthony Slater, "some of the veterans will skip the game in Portland on Wednesday." It would make sense for Curry, Draymond Green and Al Horford to rest on the second night of a back-to-back, with all three set to be limited to around 12-16 minutes in Sunday's preseason opener.
The strange preseason schedule will give Golden State's younger players a prime opportunity to push their case, whether it's for a spot in the opening night rotation or to secure their place on the roster.
Young guards Brandon Williams and LJ Cryer, for example, could benefit significantly from Curry's absence. The pair may be battling for backup minutes behind the two-time MVP come opening night, and Wednesday's game could be the first major chance to evaluate where things stand between the two.
With Horford presumably out and Kristaps Porzingis likely still sidelined by his current health concern, Wednesday's game could prove a big opportunity for Charles Bassey and Graham Ike to press a claim for legitimate rotation minutes.
Brandin Podziemski and Yaxel Lendeborg may also get even more opportunity than they're already set to receive, with both youngsters locked into a starting role for the preseason opener on Sunday.
Warriors will have to be careful with Stephen Curry this season
There will be a major watch on just how Curry looks entering his age 39 season, having dealt with a worrisome knee issue that caused him to miss 27-straight games toward the end of last season.
Golden State will have to be careful with how they manage Curry early in the season, particularly given the over-reliance on the 12x All-Star with Butler not expected to return until January at the earliest.
Scheduling six preseason games including a back-to-back does seem excessive, but perhaps it will be the best outcome for the Warriors as they look to solve a number of rotation questions before facing the Lakers on October 21.
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