Despite their host of injuries over recent months, Steve Kerr and the Golden State Warriors still shortened their rotation dramatically once the Play-In Tournament rolled around last week.
That meant that a number of players were dealt a brutal reality check as they were kicked out of the rotation with the season on the line, many of whom had played considerable roles in the final weeks of the regular season.
Whether fair or not, this provides an indication of where these players sit within the franchise and the context of the offseason where the Warriors will have a myriad of decisions to be made on an aging roster.
Who were the most notable players to be axed from Kerr's rotation? The list includes an impressive rookie to a veteran who is now coming towards the end of his career.
1. Seth Curry
Injuries meant Seth Curry never got a true run at it in his first year with the Warriors, but he did manage to return late and appear in six of the final eight regular season games where he shot 44.4% from 3-point range.
The need for more shot-making in the postseason was a genuine argument for Curry to get minutes, but Kerr opted against utilizing the 35-year-old who was stapled to the bench despite shooting 48% from beyond the arc during the regular season.
Golden State pouring in 126 points against the L.A. Clippers in the first Play-In game suggested it was the right decision, yet posting just 96 points on 33.3% 3-point shooting in the elimination to the Suns was proof that the younger Curry could have provided value.
Having been the final player on the roster earlier in the season and after appearing in just 10 games with the Warriors, it would appear unlikely that Curry gets another opportunity with the franchise going forward.
2. Will Richard
Will Richard consistently got playing time for Golden State throughout the season, averaging exactly 20 minutes which was a mark that maintained right until the pointy end of the campaign. Yet come do-or-die basketball in the postseason, the impressive rookie was straight out of the rotation.
Last Wednesday's game against the Clippers was the first time Richard had been a healthy DNP since December, highlighting both the impact he made in year one and the injuries that the Warriors faced ever since Jimmy Butler's torn ACL in January.
Is this just growing pains for a young player and the expected outcome after a long season, or was this cause for genuine concern over Richard's development? Let's take the glass half full approach and suggest the former, but we won't truly find out until the start of next season.
3. Pat Spencer
Injuries, particularly to Stephen Curry, saw Spencer's minutes explode from 6.4 last season to 18.6 in his third year with Golden State. The 29-year-old produced some huge performances at times, leading to averages of 7.2 points, 2.4 rebounds and 3.5 assists on 35.7% shooting from 3-point range during the regular season.
Spencer was always going to be a casualty upon Curry's return though, and the writing was on the wall despite the fact he still averaged 23 minutes over the final 15 games of the regular season. With Curry, Brandin Podziemski, De'Anthony Melton and Gary Payton II all playing heavy minutes in the rotation, there was no need for another small guard to be part of the mix during the Play-In Tournament.
Where does this leave Spencer going forward given he's without a contract for next season? While his transition from lacrosse to bonafide NBA player has been a fantastic storyline, his time at the Warriors may have now come to an end.
Add us as a preferred source on Google