Why Kerr is building ‘big part' of Warriors' offense around Yaxel Lendeborg

Why Kerr is building ‘big part' of Warriors' offense around Yaxel Lendeborg originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Steve Kerr often has come under fire for how he uses rookies in the Warriors’ system.

Trying to integrate themselves within a motion-based offense that revolves around Steph Curry, many of Golden State’s recent draft picks have failed to earn Kerr’s trust or make an immediate impact.

But Yaxel Lendeborg, the No. 11 overall pick in the 2026 NBA Draft, is doing just that.

Through five games, Lendeborg leads the Warriors in minutes and rebounds, while ranking second in points per game behind only Curry with 22.6.

During an interview with 95.7 The Game’s “Willard and Dibs” on Thursday, Kerr described how Lendeborg has already carved out a major role.

“That first preseason game, he only took a few shots in Hawaii against the [Los Angeles] Clippers, and we all kind of talked to him, Steph, [Draymond Green], coaches like, ‘Hey, you got to be aggressive for us,’ and then all of a sudden, a couple preseason games where you see him attacking and scoring what he’s capable of doing,” Kerr said. “It’s like, all right, this guy is a little different, and we are now in the point where we’re recognizing we got to build a big part of the offense around him.”

“And then all of a sudden, a couple of preseason games where you see him attacking and scoring and what he’s capable of doing, and it’s like, alright, this guy’s a little different. We are now at the point where we recognize it. We gotta build a big part of the offense around… pic.twitter.com/qRV8XR02oR

— 95.7 The Game (@957thegame) October 30, 2026

Kerr compared Lendeborg’s skill set to that of star Jimmy Butler, currently recovering from a torn ACL, explaining how his strengths complement the Warriors’ offense when Curry needs a break.

“I think the similarity is the brute strength and the ability to create a shot for himself or his teammates,” Kerr said. “That’s a unique skill set in the NBA. You pay top dollar for that skill set. Jimmy, when he arrived, changed our team… and we changed our style a little bit. We slowed things down. We isolated him. We got him into spots and worked on our spacing. And Yaxel is having a similar impact in that, when Steph’s not on the floor or is tired, we can go to Yaxel in isolation, and he can create stuff for us, so he’s a really a big weapon for us.”

Lendeborg has scored 25+ points in three straight games and taken 19 or more shots in each one, highlighting his aggressiveness behind Curry.

The 24-year-old is shooting 35.5 percent from distance and 64.3 percent at the rim, giving Golden State a well-rounded offensive weapon just five games into his NBA career.

Kerr praised Lendeborg’s mentality, mentioning that the rookie was “despondent” after Wednesday’s win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, where he had 26 points and nine rebounds but also put up seven turnovers.

“We’re going to need him if we’re going to be really good,” Kerr said. “We’re going to need him to grow and mature more quickly than we would ask other rookies. But I think he’s capable of it because at 24… he’s just got a really mature game, and now it’s a matter of just figuring out the NBA.”

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