Kerr Showcases Warriors’ Depth with 12-Man Rotation in Season Opener
With three minutes remaining in the first quarter of the Golden State Warriors’ season opener against the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night, Gary Payton II and Kyle Anderson crouched at the scorer’s table, ready to check in. Just nine minutes into the game, the Warriors’ 10th and 11th players were about to enter. By the start of the second quarter, Moses Moody was on the court, bringing the total to 12 players who had seen action.
Throughout training camp, the Warriors emphasized their depth. Coach Steve Kerr repeatedly mentioned that he believed 13 players deserved minutes in the rotation, highlighting the tough choices he would face to narrow it down.
However, the night before the opener, Kerr decided to utilize all available players. “This is the deepest team I’ve ever coached, and we need to take advantage of that,” Kerr said after the Warriors’ 139-104 victory. “I’ve never played 12 before, but we’re going to do it. I considered playing just 10, but I couldn’t justify that.”
Golden State’s starting lineup included Stephen Curry, Andrew Wiggins, Jonathan Kuminga, Draymond Green, and Trayce Jackson-Davis, a combination Kerr hopes to stick with this season. Buddy Hield was the first off the bench, followed by Kevon Looney and Brandin Podziemski, then Melton, Anderson, and Moody.
Curry remarked on the team’s current identity, emphasizing their reliance on depth. He noted that the only team he could compare this depth to was the 2014-15 Warriors, known for their “strength in numbers” slogan, although that team used an 11-man rotation.
“This is the deepest team I’ve ever been on,” Wiggins stated.
In the game, seven players scored in double figures, led by Hield’s impressive 22 points on 8-of-12 shooting, including five 3-pointers in just 15 minutes—the most points by a Warriors player in 15 minutes or less since 1984, according to ESPN Research.
“Without Klay, we needed shooting, but we needed it regardless,” Curry said, noting the seamless transition so far. Wiggins added 20 points, while Curry nearly achieved a triple-double with 17 points, 10 assists, and 9 rebounds.
The Warriors made 20 three-pointers, with no player exceeding Curry’s team-high 25 minutes. Emphasizing a quick pace, the Warriors scored 30 points in transition against Portland, believing their depth and a hockey-style rotation will make them “overwhelming” for opponents. Hield described it as a continuous “wave” of players.
While the rotation may tighten based on matchups, there’s an understanding that if a player struggles, others will step up.
“You need a commitment—no agendas or egos, or at least healthy egos that allow you to recognize when it’s not your night without bringing down the team’s energy,” Curry said. “I haven’t seen any red flags regarding that.”
Curry defined a healthy ego as having confidence in your ability while remaining humble enough to accept when it’s not your night and, crucially, not letting it affect your attitude. The Warriors have fostered this understanding since they began training camp in Hawai’i earlier this month, where Kerr indicated that competition for playing time would be healthy.
