Klay Thompson, Otto Porter Jr., Buddy Hield

[WarriorGM]

There was a narrative previously especially among his detractors when Steph started breaking out that Curry wasn't so much an individual superstar but a system player that benefited mightily from having great teammates. In this telling Steph was lucky to play with all-star level teammates Klay and Draymond else he wouldn't have been winning.

I've always been skeptical of this idea Curry was more of a beneficiary of playing with Klay and Draymond than the other way around. It's why even when Klay was injured but Otto Porter Jr. became available I was excited with the team's prospects.

Now Klay is on another team and the guy who looks like he's the best fit to fill in for Klay's shooting on the team is Buddy Hield. I think the team's performance with Hield will become a key barometer of the team's prospects this year. It will also give further understanding of how to interpret the previous years and the roles players had on the team vis a vis Steph.

Reactions to Buddy being on the team seem muted. How do you guys feel about him?

[Onus]

Buddy should have the role that Klay had which is bench gunner. He'll be needed to carry the bench scoring. We still haven't found our opj replacement in 3 years.

[whatisacenter]

OPJ played an entirely different roll when Klay was out and it was Poole who filled in.

Buddy is a streaky shooter that plays no defense.

[floppymoose]

If you want to know about Stephs effect on Klay, dont watch Buddy. Watch Klay in Dallas.

[a8bil]

If you want to know about Stephs effect on Klay, dont watch Buddy. Watch Klay in Dallas.

Moving to a team that has two of the best dribble penetrators in the league is not likely to hurt Klay.

[floppymoose]

Exactly. So its a fair way to judge.

[CDM_Stats]

People would probably be better off hoping Hield fills the old role of Damian Lee instead of Klay

[Coxy]

Buddy Hield will turn into a prime Mitch Richmond this season, just watch.

[vvoland]

Buddy Hield will turn into a prime Mitch Richmond this season, just watch.

I'm sure this is just me talking myself into the hield acquisition but 3 assists per game last season, in 25 minutes, with a A/TO ratio of ~2.5. I still like Melton and SloMo more than buddy but he may not be as one dimensional as I thought

[WarriorGM]

Buddy should have the role that Klay had which is bench gunner. He'll be needed to carry the bench scoring. We still haven't found our opj replacement in 3 years.

If bench gunner is all Hield amounts to it will probably be disappointment for him. What any 3-point marksman who comes to join Steph is probably looking for is the opportunity to look like Klay on a championship team.

[Chris Porter's Hair]

I view Hield as
- Relatively comparable to current day Klay
- But paid less
- And more realistic about his limitations

[EvanZ]

I think Hield is complete trash and will be out of the rotation by January. I think KA will be useful but the shooting limitations will be a big issue fitting him in. Melton is the one who we really need to pop if we're going to be competitive. He can be DDV-esque. Of course, the better he is the more to me it would set up rotation issues with Podz, where we are choosing "Kerr guys who can play basketball" vs "too many damn small guys to actually matter if they can play".

[Jester_]

i admire the optimism some of you have for Melton to be back to 100%

[Onus]

I think Hield is complete trash and will be out of the rotation by January. I think KA will be useful but the shooting limitations will be a big issue fitting him in. Melton is the one who we really need to pop if we're going to be competitive. He can be DDV-esque. Of course, the better he is the more to me it would set up rotation issues with Podz, where we are choosing "Kerr guys who can play basketball" vs "too many damn small guys to actually matter if they can play".

Can't wait for the Melton, Curry, Podz lineups!!

[EvanZ]

I think Hield is complete trash and will be out of the rotation by January. I think KA will be useful but the shooting limitations will be a big issue fitting him in. Melton is the one who we really need to pop if we're going to be competitive. He can be DDV-esque. Of course, the better he is the more to me it would set up rotation issues with Podz, where we are choosing "Kerr guys who can play basketball" vs "too many damn small guys to actually matter if they can play".

Can't wait for the Melton, Curry, Podz lineups!!

You won't have to wait more than 8 minutes of game 1 in my estimation. But I mean think of it. Kerr is damn well going to play Curry/Podz/Melton/Hield at the same muthtruckin time. It's going to be hell.

[watch1958]

I think Hield is complete trash and will be out of the rotation by January. I think KA will be useful but the shooting limitations will be a big issue fitting him in. Melton is the one who we really need to pop if we're going to be competitive. He can be DDV-esque. Of course, the better he is the more to me it would set up rotation issues with Podz, where we are choosing "Kerr guys who can play basketball" vs "too many damn small guys to actually matter if they can play".

Can't wait for the Melton, Curry, Podz lineups!!

You won't have to wait more than 8 minutes of game 1 in my estimation. But I mean think of it. Kerr is damn well going to play Curry/Podz/Melton/Hield at the same muthtruckin time. It's going to be hell.

Since they obviously don’t want Moses, maybe they should give him to San Antonio.

That noob coach might overrate him and give him minutes.

[WarriorGM]

Has Buddy Hield played in a lineup with Steph yet? People seem relieved that they aren't being thrown together but is it really that bad an idea? There were those who were excited at the prospect of Steph, Klay and Jordan Poole when that lineup was first tried. Is a lineup of something like Steph, Melton and Hield really so bad that it isn't even worth a look?

[DonaldSanders]

Has Buddy Hield played in a lineup with Steph yet? People seem relieved that they aren't being thrown together but is it really that bad an idea? There were those who were excited at the prospect of Steph, Klay and Jordan Poole when that lineup was first tried. Is a lineup of something like Steph, Melton and Hield really so bad that it isn't even worth a look?

Yeah it is. It might work vs. the weaker teams, but you need at least 1 of the 2 guards to be strong defenders, which neither guy is. Against the good teams you want to have maximum 1 weak point on defense, which is Steph (I mean he'll be 37 next playoffs). Steph is one of the better weak point players in that he is a maximum effort guy who will follow the defensive plan, which has been fine for us.

Klay used to be the guard paired with Steph to take the best perimeter guy, but things stopped working as well post injury. The best + - lineups in the 2022 chip were when Steph/Klay weren't on the court together, and by the 23-24 season it was a rough watch with them together. Buddy didn't look as slow as Klay in pre-season, but his reputation is as a bad defender, so we have to assume it will be the same with the dubs as it has been with other teams.

In general I was not excited about Buddy being signed, but if he's a 16mpg guy who plays more or less based on how he is shooting it's OK. I'd have preferred we just played our other players like Moody more minutes though. Buddy has a known ceiling/range, where the young guys like Moody can still grow.

[Nvnervous45]

I'm excited for hield to be a bench gunner and closer. If kerr puts podz, curry, Hield, and melton in any lineup but a last 2nd shot attempt he should be fired immediately. We saw how that cp3, curry backcourt did last year with slow -aszed klay. It's a disaster waiting to happen.

[Zvaart]

And it will happen.