It was a positive start for the Golden State Warriors to open the California Classic at Chase Center on Saturday, with the hosts overcoming a slow start and a double-digit deficit to record an 89-84 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.
With rookies Alex Toohey and Will Richard on the sidelines as the Warriors await finalized completion of a seven-team trade on Sunday, may eyes turned to Taran Armstrong as another intruiging prospect among the franchise's young players.
Taran Armstrong went without a turnover in his Summer League debut
While the box score numbers don't necessarily jump off the page for Armstrong after his Summer League debut, it was nonetheless a positive first hitout for the Australian point guard who set the table consistenly in his team's five point win.
Armstrong started with a beautiful bounce-pass to a cutting Marques Bolden who finished a floater on the first possession of the game -- the first of six assists for the 23-year-old who got better as the game went on.
Most importantly for Golden State, Armstrong went without a single turnover in the game despite immense physicality and on-ball defense pressure from the Lakers. It was a refreshing sight for a team that so often struggles with ball security, and if there's one thing Steve Kerr loves, it's a player who protects the ball and doesn't make needless mistakes.
Sure, Armstrong missed some shots (seven points, 1-of-5 shooting), but his ability to play through the Laker pressure and create open shots for his teammates was impressive as the Warriors overcame a tough opening where they scored just 11 points in the first-quarter.
Taran Armstrong connects for an early 3 🇦🇺 pic.twitter.com/tPIGVNqcQR
— Warriors on NBCS (@NBCSWarriors) July 5, 2025
Turnovers have so often been an issue for the Warriors even during their dynasty years, but Armstrong is an old school pass-first point guard who displayed similar traits across the final 11 games of the G League season.
After signing a two-way contract with Golden State in February, Armstrong averaged 7.9 assists to just 2.5 turnovers in his 28.5 minutes with Santa Cruz. He also averaged 11.5 points and 5.8 rebounds, shooting 51% from the floor and 36.4% from 3-point range.
With just nine players on the main roster and Stephen Curry the only recognized point guard, there's a void that Armstrong could help fill after Golden State failed to tender a qualifying offer to now unrestricted free agent Pat Spencer.
Saturday's outing was hopefully a building block for bigger performances going forward, with Armstrong and the Warriors set to face the San Antonio Spurs in their second game on Sunday.