Warriors camp takeaways: Knox building on strong Summer League showing

Warriors camp takeaways: Knox building on strong Summer League showing originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

LAIE, Hawaii – Warriors training camp on the BYU-Hawaii campus concluded Friday in front of nearly 500 students and Hawaiin kids, as well as active military members, watching the end of a full-court scrimmage where players were divided into three groups.

Here are five takeaways from the fourth and final day of training camp in Hawaii, ahead of their preseason opener against the Los Angeles Clippers, which featured comments from coach Steve Kerr and center Kevon Looney.

Blue Team, Grey Team, Red Team

Below is who played for each team.

Blue Team: Steph Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Buddy Hield, Jonathan Kuminga and Draymond Green.

Grey Team: De’Anthony Melton, Gary Payton II, Moses Moody, Kyle Anderson and Looney, as well as Kevin Knox.

Red Team: Pat Spencer, Lindy Waters III, Gui Santos, Trayce Jackson-Davis and Quinten Post, as well as Reece Beekman.

Hinting At Preseason Starters?

No.

At least not according to Kerr. It was easy to assume the Blue Team could be who Kerr first trots out Saturday against the Clippers. However, Kerr told reporters not to look too far into anything, as he continues to be mum on his starting five.

“In fact, it’s safe to assume that will not be the starting lineup,” Kerr said.

Andrew Wiggins, who is expected to be the Warriors’ starting small forward, was unable to practice for the fourth straight day and will not play Saturday. The Warriors will re-evaluate Wiggins once they return back to San Francisco.

What Stood Out

The first sequence that was seen during Golden State’s scrimmage once media members and others were let in was Podziemski taking a hard shot to the face as the left-hander attempted a layup on the right side. Practice stopped very momentarily before Podziemski got back up and connected on his free throws.

Curry only took one shot attempt during the period, missing a 3-pointer that rattled in and out. The chemistry between he and Green still is on full display as the two found each other for multiple impressive passes and cuts to keep the ball moving.

Misses outnumbered makes, but a handful of made shots did stand out.

Looney had a signature hustle And-1 play picking up a loose ball and finishing at the rim through contact. Melton made two 3-pointers, one on the left wing with Spencer guarding him and another at the top of the key in front of Hield.

Kerr wants the Warriors to be a top 3-point shooting team, and Hield will be relied upon to help them in that area. The first made shot seen was a corner three made by an open Hield. Knox nailed a three from the left wing with Beekman on him.

Moody, who Kerr is encouraging to shoot more, made a mid-range as Green tightly contested him.

Kerr Says Knox Belongs

One of the more intriguing camp storylines is Knox, who has six seasons worth of NBA experience, yet still only is 25 years old.

Knox agreed to a training camp invite after impressing the coaching staff while playing for the Warriors’ summer league team. Both Santos and Waters are on non-guaranteed contracts.

“Kevin is a really good player. He’s so athletic and long,” Kerr said. “It’s obviously why he was a lottery pick. But like a lot of guys in the modern NBA who are getting picked early with very little experience, there’s just a learning curve and a growth process.

“It’s hard for that to play out in a normal time anymore because everyone wants instant results. I’m just impressed with Kevin’s approach, his professionalism and how hard he’s working. I think he’s had a good camp. I think he’s a very good player, he definitely belongs in the NBA. He just needs to play, he needs more reps.”

The New York Knicks drafted Knox No. 8 overall in the 2018 NBA Draft. He has played for four teams in his six-year career, including 31 games for the Detroit Pistons last season. In his final summer league game for the Warriors, Knox dropped a game-high 31 points.

More Vocal TJD

Trayce Jackson-Davis had a highly impressive rookie campaign last season in a multitude of ways. Now, Kerr and his teammates are pushing him to be more vocal, an underrated and highly important skill that develops over time.

“We’re trying to get him to talk more,” Kerr said. “It’s so important at the five-man defensively calling out the coverages and letting the guards know what’s happening. Draymond taught Loon and it took Loon two years to say anything. Trayce is going to be a difficult one as well. Quinten, we’re trying to teach him the same thing as well.

“It’s a balance. These young guys come in and you appreciate the respectful approach of ‘I’m not going to overstep my bounds,’ but at the same you want them screaming out the coverage. Whatever the coverage is, they need to be yelling that out. We’re working on that.”

For Jackson-Davis, he couldn’t have a better mentor in Looney for an abundance of reasons. Naturally quiet as well, getting Jackson-Davis more comfortable with his voice is only one example of Looney’s leadership.

“He’s just talking more, you can tell he’s much more comfortable out there,” Looney said. “Even with the new terminology he’s picking it up pretty fast and using his voice. As a big, that’s probably the most important thing we have to do on the defensive end.

“It’s important to rebound and block shots, but you have to be able to talk to our guards through actions. For him to pick up actions that fast, it’s been really good.”

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