Stephen Curry’s Warriors expect Yaxel Lendeborg to make an immediate impact after his standout summer. But his first preseason game showed how quickly those expectations can create pressure. The rookie flashed his versatility against the LA Clippers, yet one decision underneath the basket became the clearest lesson from his night.
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With Steve Kerr demanding more from him, Stephen Curry had a much simpler message for the young forward.
Speaking after the Dubs’ 104-101 preseason loss to the Clippers, Curry reflected on what Lendeborg must do while adjusting to the expectations of being a young player with a role to fill. “The balance for a young guy who’s expected to have an impact is to walk that fine line of aggressiveness, but being okay knowing you’re gonna make mistakes and not getting afraid, being able to move on to the next play.”
Steph followed it with a four-word message: “Don’t want anything passive”
“Taking a shot when he was open, getting an offensive rebound, driving. I know he wants a couple of those possessions back, but we want him, you know, applying pressure on both ends of the floor, but especially offensively, being able to create good offense for us and good opportunities,” Stephen Curry added.
Lendeborg’s numbers did not tell the entire story of his debut.
He finished with four points on 1-of-6 shooting, but added nine rebounds and three assists while producing a transition block. His versatility is why the Warriors are comfortable asking him to play through mistakes.
And the team found him a bit passive and hesitant on the offensive end.
With the ball underneath the basket, the rookie had an opportunity to go up for a layup. Instead, he tried to pass to Charles Bassey, turned the ball over, and watched the Clippers come back the other way for a three-pointer.
Steve Kerr addressed that sequence after the game.
“Yaxel is good. We need him to be more aggressive… That’s got to be a layup. We need him actually to have an aggressive scoring mentality, and that’s something we work with him. He makes plays, and he can score.”
Kerr’s criticism focused on the decision.
That is where Stephen Curry’s message becomes important. The 4x champ drew on his own rookie experience, explaining that Lendeborg cannot become afraid of making errors simply because the team expects him to contribute.
“It’s not gonna be perfect. You know, we’ll make mistakes. I think he hopefully can thrive off the fact that he can play through those, similar to when I was more expectations as a team, but similar to my rookie year. I had to play through that stuff.”
The Warriors are asking Lendeborg to be more than a passive piece in their new-look offense. His size and versatility give him opportunities to rebound, attack closeouts, move the ball, and defend across multiple shots. In fact, he showed flashes of his playmaking brilliance, carrying out a couple of pick-and-rolls with Charles Bassey.
Responsibility is especially relevant on a team trying to integrate younger pieces around Stephen Curry, where Lendeborg’s willingness to attack can create easier opportunities for everyone else.
Prior to the game, Lendeborg revealed his deferential mindset, stating: “Me just making that extra more two step… going to be vital for us… especially if I have (the ball) or Steph has a good look, it’s like, you know, give that to Steph.”
This exact philosophy perfectly explains the unselfish turnover Kerr later criticized.
The next test will be whether he can carry that aggression into the Warriors’ next preseason game. One turnover will not define his adjustment to the NBA. But how he responds to it could say much about the role the Warriors want him to grow into.