What Will The Warriors Do With Their Final Roster Spot?
There have been a lot of questions surrounding the Golden State Warriors this season. How will Jordan Poole adjust to moving to the bench after winning a championship? Will Klay Thompson be able to get back to pre-injury form after two major leg injuries? Will general manager Bob Myers receive a new contract after the end of this season? One question that needs to be addressed soon is who they will give their fifteenth and final roster spot to this season.
When healthy, the Warriors have a loaded roster led by Steph Curry, Klay Thompson, and Draymond Green. However, there has been an ongoing debate with the Warriors and their fanbase this season about which of their two-way players, Ty Jerome or Anthony Lamb, will get that final roster spot.
If you look at how their roster is constructed, they need more size at the forward positions. It is no secret that the Warriors have an abundance of guards, Curry, Thompson, Jordan Poole, Donte DiVincenzo, and Gary Payton II, and they are slim in the front court.
With Andrew Wiggins taking time away from the team for personal reasons, the Warriors need bodies in the front court. Wiggins has been away from the team for longer than a month and there is no definitive answer on when he will return to the team.
The Lamb vs. Jerome debate is interesting, but there is a clear favorite for the Warriors. For a team that is desperate for defense, especially on the perimeter, Lamb provides a defensive intensity that Jerome does not have on the court. Just look at the defensive rating of the Lamb and Jerome.
The defensive rating stat is a good start to see if a player helps the team on defense. The rating is a stat that lets you know how many points a player gives up per 100 possessions while on the court. Simply put, the lower the rating, the better.
This season, in fifty games, Lamb has a defensive rating of 109.7 and Jerome has 116.3 in 44 games. The Warriors desperately need help on defense, specifically on the perimeter, and Lamb provides better overall defense than Jerome. Lamb gives the Warriors an aspect that Ty Jerome cannot supply, a big body that can guard on the perimeter.
Ty Jerome's skill set suits the Warriors by being a passing first-point guard, who can run the offense, but when everyone is healthy, it will be tough for him to find minutes in a guard-heavy rotation.
Lamb's skill set fits the Warriors' scheme more than Jerome's right now because he's a forward who can defend well on the perimeter and not get bullied inside by larger and more prominent players in the NBA.
The Warriors love long, young, and affordable four-year players who can defend and play the game correctly. Lamb is the ideal fit for the Warriors. According to the head coach Steve Kerr, Lamb plays an important role on the Warriors.
In Kerr's post-game interview on March 5th, after a heartbreaking loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, 113-105, he hinted that he wanted to keep Lamb on the roster after his fifty-game limit was reached this season.
"I'd like to have Lamb on the roster." Kerr Stated. "He plays an important role for us because he connects a lot of lineups with his ability to space the floor, shoot the three, and he plays the way we always play with point-five basketball making quick decisions."
When Kerr says he wants Lamb on the roster because he's essential to the Warriors' chemistry, pace, and style of play, the fan base should listen and stop the debate of Lamb vs. Jerome.
Look at the offensive ratings for both players—the higher the offensive rating, the better. Lamb has a 111.0 offensive rating, and Jerome has a 110.9 rating this season. Jerome and Lamb have similar offensive ratings, yet Lamb has a significantly better defensive rating.
The Warriors having the greatest backcourt in NBA history with Curry & Thompson, and a rising superstar in Poole who is a prolific shooting guard, therefor they will lean towards going with a role player who plays solid defense rather than good offense.
The Warriors have yet to decide who will use their fifteenth and final roster spot this year. The two-way players of Lamb and Jerome have reached their combined game limit between the two of them, Lamb at 50 games played and Jerome at 44 games played, yet both have played significant roles for the Warriors this season.
During Coach Kerr’s pregame press conference on March 13th, before the Warriors defeated the the Phoenix Suns at Chase Center, 123-112, Kerr addressed what they will do with the final roster spot. He stated that nothing will be decided on the fifteenth and final roster spot yet, but he expects a decision in the coming days.
It’s a matter of hours until the Warriors decide on their final roster spot before the playoffs start this year. The Warriors need help on defense and depth at the forward position, which is why the Warriors will choose to sign Lamb over Jerome for their final roster spot.
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