Steve Kerr believes Yaxel Lendeborg has shown enough on offense to earn more responsibility, but the Golden State Warriors head coach made it just as clear that the rookie’s defensive work needs urgent improvement. After Saturday’s 131-122 loss to the Phoenix Suns, Kerr said Lendeborg’s weak-side awareness was “very poor” and insisted he must learn to defend at NBA level.
The timing matters because Lendeborg has been playing in a larger role while the Warriors are without Stephen Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Draymond Green and Al Horford. He has already impressed through his first three games, but the next stage of his development will be judged far more harshly on the defensive end than the offensive one. Opponents will notice that quickly if he does not tighten up.
Kerr: the biggest lesson is learning the NBA
Kerr said the rookie is still adapting to the speed and detail of the league. “The biggest thing is just continuing to learn the NBA,” he said, with the emphasis clearly on how quickly the game changes on the defensive side.
That is where Kerr sounded most concerned. “The defensive side is where I want to see the most improvement, though. His weak-side awareness right now is very poor. And with his size, he should be one of our best defenders at the rim. And right now, he's unaware on the weak-side. And that's an area he really has to improve,” Kerr said.
It is a blunt assessment, but not an unusual one for a rookie being thrown into a bigger role. The Warriors need Lendeborg to contribute now, not just later, and that means learning when to help, when to stay home and how to use his size more effectively around the basket.
Offense is encouraging, but the defense will decide his role
There has been enough from Lendeborg offensively to keep him in the conversation. Against the Suns he scored 26 points, shooting 6-of-11, and added nine rebounds and five assists in a game the Warriors needed to stabilize early and could not fully control.
That production helps explain why Kerr is willing to keep trusting him. But it also underlines the balance of the debate: a young player can earn minutes with scoring and energy, yet lose them just as fast if opponents start targeting him on defense.
The article around Lendeborg has now shifted from simple praise to a more serious evaluation. He has shown enough skill to matter, but Kerr’s public comments suggest the real test is whether he can stay on the floor when teams begin hunting his weak spots.
For Golden State, that is the key question going forward. With veteran absences creating opportunity, Lendeborg has a chance to become useful immediately. But if his defense does not improve, that opportunity could become a matchup problem instead.
