The Golden State Warriors tip off their 2026-27 season tonight against the Los Angeles Lakers, but trust me, all eyes should be on one guy: Yaxel Lendeborg. Forget the usual rookie jitters, this dude isn’t just projected to have a solid first year, he’s on a path to win Rookie of the Year and smash some serious Warriors records.
Why Yaxel Lendeborg Isn’t Just Good, He’s Essential
Let’s talk numbers first. No Warriors rookie in the 21st century has averaged more points than Steph Curry (17.5) or more rebounds than Anthony Randolph (5.8). Lendeborg, right now, looks like he’s going to blow past Randolph’s rebounding mark and get into Steph’s rookie scoring territory. And while most folks are whispering about 12-15 points per game for him, the situation in Golden State is screaming for him to obliterate that.
Why? Well, for starters, the Warriors’ stars and head coach have been on him, practically begging Lendeborg to be more aggressive on the court. And honestly, they need it. This roster seriously lacks scorers. Kristaps Porziņģis is already out indefinitely, which is a massive blow. Jimmy Butler III is recovering from an ACL tear and is conservatively expected to miss 30-50 games. Even a fully healthy Steph Curry is likely to sit out 10-15 games for rest, and if he catches any kind of injury, Golden State will be absolutely thirsting for offense. Unless Brandin Podziemski or Gui Santos suddenly transforms into a scoring machine, Lendeborg is walking into this season as the Warriors’ clear second option. When Steph rests, or if he’s hurt, Yaxel is the primary scorer. Averaging 18 points and 6.5 rebounds a game seems totally reasonable for him right now, and if he gets anywhere near 20 and 10, he’s absolutely in the Rookie of the Year conversation. Get hyped!
Georges Niang Is The Bench Scorer Nobody Saw Coming
While Lendeborg is grabbing all the headlines, don’t sleep on Georges Niang, easily the least heralded Warriors acquisition this offseason. This guy is a proven, really good NBA role player, and most importantly, an incredible three-point shooter. From 2020 to 2025, Niang hit 40.1% of his three-point attempts, never played fewer than 72 games in a season, and averaged 1.9 made threes per game. For context, Otto Porter Jr. only hit 1.3 threes per game in his lone season with the Dubs. Niang missed all of last season with an injury, but his track record for durability, combined with Porzingis’ absence, means there’s a wide open opportunity for him in the rotation. Even though the Warriors have a surprisingly deep roster of quality three-point shooters, Niang is really the only “marksma” on the team. He’s not just predicted to make the third most threes, but to be the Warriors’ highest bench scorer.
So, as the Warriors tip off against the Lakers tonight, it’s more than just game one. It’s the first real look at how Yaxel Lendeborg and Georges Niang are going to redefine this Golden State team. Can Lendeborg start his ROY campaign with a bang? Will Niang immediately prove his value off the bench? We’ll be watching every minute, hoping these bold calls pay off big time for Golden State!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Golden State of Mind.
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