Preseason Overreaction: Warriors Make Puzzling Lineup Decision

The Golden State Warriors have moved on from their "Splash Brothers" after Klay Thompson signed with the Dallas Mavericks, but it looked like all would be fine without him in San Francisco. Brandin Podziemski was one of the better rookies last season and even started for Thompson at times during the season.

As the Warriors continue to try and win with Curry but also rebuild around Podziemski, Jonathan Kuminga, Moses Moody, and Trayce Jackson-Davis, using the young guard to bridge the gap between the young and the old seemed like a sensible move, but Steve Kerr has made a puzzling lineup choice.

Rather than start Podziemski next to Curry, in the preseason opener Kerr gave the starting nod to veteran De'Anthony Melton. Kerr cited Melton's shooting and playmaking for the starting nod, and to his credit, Melton made a solid two of his five three-point shots.

There are, however, two problems with Kerr's logic. For starters, Podziemski is a better playmaker. He recorded more assists than Melton did last season, and he is a better shooter, which compliments Curry, as the Warriors can easily have two elite shooters in the backcourt.

The most alarming concern behind the roster move is the Warriors' youth movement. Golden State did not get younger this summer, and added aging veterans Buddy Hield and Kyle Anderson, along with Melton. The Warriors insist that their two-timeline approach will pay off, but it can only succeed if Kerr gives the younger guys playing time. Last season, Kuminga and Podziemski played big roles for the Warriors, but Golden State might regress to the veteran-only approach that led to the mishandling of Moody, James Wiseman, and even Jordan Poole.

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For the Warriors to succeed down the road, they need to invest in their young players, and an influx of servicable veteran talent might become a distraction for Kerr as he chases a playoff spot.