The Golden State Warriors may have got off to an impressive 7-2 start to the NBA season, but they're still yet to settle on a starting lineup nine games into the campaign.
After going to a big starting lineup over the first three games, Jonathan Kuminga was moved to the bench and has remained there ever since. The Warriors have also had injuries to Stephen Curry, Andrew Wiggins and De'Anthony Melton, providing opportunities for the likes of Brandin Podziemski, Moses Moody and Gary Payton II.
The Warriors have an obvious starting lineup change they need to make
Steve Kerr started Payton alongside the common quartet of Curry, Wiggins, Draymond Green and Trayce Jackson-Davis on Friday against the Cleveland Cavaliers, with the hope that would be able to slow down All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell.
While Mitchell only had 12 points for the game, it didn't matter as the Cavaliers torched the Warrior defense with 83 points in the first-half on their way to a 41-point lead. The starting lineup in particular got off to a slow start, having struggled to generate offense as Cleveland opened up on a 20-2 run.
While Kerr may continue to alter the starting lineup on a game-by-game basis, having a set opening five would be far more ideal moving forward. The lack of spacing with the trio of Payton, Green and Jackson-Davis was evident on Friday, with one obvious change Kerr and Golden State need to make.
Going back to the start of the preseason and a back-court of Curry and De'Anthony Melton appeared the most likely. However, we are yet to see that duo start together, something that should change now that Melton returned from a five-game absence against the Cavaliers.
The 26-year-old looked good in the second-half, finishing with 10 points, two rebounds and three assists on 2-of-6 three-point shooting in just under 18 minutes. Melton offers the best of both worlds as Curry's back-court teammate, providing some of the elite perimeter defense Payton brings, while being a high-level three-point shooter and capable of making plays off the dribble.
The Warriors will still need to manage Melton's back issue that saw him limited to just 38 games last season, but that doesn't mean he can't start and still only play 18-25 minutes per game. Failing that Kerr probably needs to go back to Moody, with Buddy Hield a candidate but playing too well off the bench to be worth messing with.
The idea of starting Payton has merit to try to limit dynamic opposing guards, but it simply leaves too many spacing issues if Golden State are also going to start Green and Jackson-Davis together. That's likely to only be exacerbated as the Warriors prepare to face the league's best defense -- the Oklahoma City Thunder -- on Sunday at Paycom Center.