Assembling the Golden State Warriors' Ideal Bench Rotation

The Golden State Warriors have arguably the deepest roster in the NBA, and head coach Steve Kerr has had to bruise some egos in assembling the bench rotations. Team chemistry is the winner so far, as no one player is bigger than the team.

The bench unit has been far more productive than it was last season. The heavy isolation focus with that group limited scoring to only 28 points per game and ranked 23rd among the Association.

This season, the second team has excelled with a contribution of 35.6 points per contest through Feb. 3. Ball movement has helped open the floor for the group with a resulting league-best 48.1 percent shooting.

The bench had one of its better outputs in the 121-96 win over the Sacramento Kings at Sleep Train Arena on Feb. 3. Per GSWStats:

It helps that the depth is so strong that the five guys they put out there could be competitive against a significant amount of NBA teams. Considering the vast arsenal of the Warriors' roster and the tools at Coach Kerr's disposal, let's put together the optimal bench rotation for Golden State.

The Mainstays

The biggest adjustment was made at the beginning of the year when former All-Star and 2013-14 NBA All-Defensive First Team member Andre Iguodala was moved to the second unit as a point-forward to kickstart the group.

David Lee and his hamstring injury made room for Draymond Green to surprise the league, and Lee was targeted as a frontcourt weapon for the reserve group.

The two former starters are entrenched in the bench rotation and are putting up quality stats. Iguodala is not having the most productive offensive season, but he is contributing 7.1 points, 3.1 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game.

Lee is playing in a better rhythm with averages of 9.5 points, 6.1 rebounds and 2.1 assists in only 20 minutes. As CSNBayArea.com’s Monte Poole tweets, Lee has a more focused goal:

He has also become a better defender with the help of coach Ron Adams. Per Basketball-Reference.com, Lee's defensive rating is at a career-best 98.

Shaun Livingston has held down the backup point guard position for every game except two. He had to rehabilitate from an injury to his right big toe that was supposed to delay the start of his season.

He pushed it through rehabilitation like he has done previously and now rocks a line of 5.5 PPG, 1.9 RPG and 3.0 APG. He has been so important, because he is a reliable option to handle the ball, can find teammates transitioning into the clear and can post up smaller guards to score.

He is shooting a solid 51 percent from the field and is also keeping Stephen Curry’s minutes significantly below 40 per game.

The Rotation

Marreese Speights has had a career year so far. He has been an offensive force and earned the “Mo Buckets” nickname.

However, Speights sat in the 106-87 win over the Phoenix Suns on Jan. 31. Coach Kerr informed Speights that he wouldn’t play early and decided to go without his services by using a smaller group of Leandro Barbosa, Lee and Iguodala.

Speights quickly reminded Kerr of what he was missing with 17 points, eight boards and three helpers on Feb. 3. With his confidence growing, his defense improving and the ability to step out for the mid-range jumper being consistent, Speights needs to be on the floor with this group.

Barbosa was a solid offseason pickup by the Warriors brass, but he temporarily got tossed to the side with the emergence of Justin Holiday. Barbosa recently got back into the mix after sitting six of the first 16 games of 2015, and he has bumped his stats up to 9.2 PPG on 50 percent shooting during that span.

Per Rusty Simmons of the San Francisco Chronicle, Kerr likes what he sees from Barbosa:

"

He’s one of our leaders, despite the fact that he doesn’t play a ton. He leads that bench group. He understands the value and the importance of the work ethic for the guys who don’t see a lot of playing time. He started that routine. It’s a shooting contest, competitive and fun. I think it’s a big reason why we’ve had good bench play this year.

"

Even with the recent stretch of limited minutes or DNP-CD (did not play—coach's decision), Barbosa is still killing it on the practice floor and is usually one of the last to leave. Coaches see the size of his heart and will keep him in mind for extra bench minutes.

Come playoff time, the key element that Barbosa brings to the table is experience. On a roster full of recent playoff appearances, he has played in 75 games, far more than any other Warrior.

Expect Kerr to take that fact into consideration when he starts shrinking rotations in the playoffs.

Holiday was a second-unit regular until Barbosa got white-hot and lessened his impact. Holiday is the feel-good story, a player who progressed from the D-League to have a legitimate contribution to this team.

He is most known for his defensive effort, where he is interchangeable on the defensive switches and makes it difficult with his athleticism and length. He also has the confidence to take the open jumper or three-pointer.

Questions Moving Forward

There are six men who fill five spots on the floor with the current rotation that Kerr uses. Ognjen Kuzmic and Brandon Rush are two other options, but both usually play only in the final minutes of a decided game.

The backup center spot has been given to Speights, but Festus Ezeli finally returned to the court on Feb. 3. He was out since he sprained his left ankle in the 115-105 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Dec. 23.

Ezeli needs his time, as he missed all of last season after right knee surgery and has to develop his game. The Golden State brass feels that Ezeli is part of the long-term plans. Per Tim Kawakami of the Mercury News:

He is the insurance for Andrew Bogut moving forward this season, but it is hard to conceptualize since both players have been set back with so many significant injuries.

Coach Kerr will continue to cycle most, if not all, of his rotation to keep players' mindsets fresh and rest other players. However, he will have to shrink the group come playoff time to maximize the talent on the floor.

Kerr will have to match up his strengths versus his opponents' and try to extend leads like he did against Sacramento on Feb. 3. If he wants to rev up the production, he should employ the following bench lineup:

• PG Shaun Livingston 
• SG Leandro Barbosa
• SF Andre Iguodala
• PF David Lee
• C Marreese Speights

All five Warriors can score in this lineup and move the ball effectively. The defense is not as solid as other rotations, but the offensive firepower can take advantage of most opponents' second units.

This unit has been one of the most productive groups for the Warriors.

If Kerr needs more of a defensive presence while the starters are on the bench, he should go with the following:

• PG Shaun Livingston
• SG Justin Holiday
• SF Andre Iguodala
• PF David Lee
• C Festus Ezeli

This group employs three strong wing defenders who can use their length to induce steals, along with an improving Lee and a physical Ezeli in the frontcourt. The offense can produce with either Livingston or Iguodala facilitating the rock, and four of the five can score.

Since the substitutions are not going to be always hockey style, Coach Kerr will need to use some of his substitutes to play a certain style of lineup (like small ball) or to change up the look. For example, Livingston might be on the floor at the same time as Curry to let him play off the ball and take advantage of his speed and court maneuverability. 

In other circumstances, Kerr likes to use his defensive weapons, like Iguodala, to close games out. So, Kerr needs to rotate his players so that they are ready when needed most.

So, let's factor in the starters minutes with Curry (34), Thompson (32), Green (31), Barnes (28) and Bogut (25). The allotment of time that the bench players play (in minutes) in order maximize production should be:

• Livingston (12)
• Barbosa (9)
• Iguodala (21)
• Lee (20)
• Speights (16)
• Ezeli (7)
• Holiday (5)

Coach Kerr has an advantage in that he has so much talent surrounding him, and the players have bought into his system. Now, let's see how he employs these units.

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