NBA Insider Eric Pincus’ Week 4 Notebook: Warriors Rookie Lifts Curry, Lakers Surprise, Cavs’ Doubts Linger

Yaxel Lendeborg has helped breathe new life into Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors, with one National Basketball Association (NBA) source admitting they thought the team was “toast” before its eight-game winning streak.

The Lakers’ chemistry has also caught a rival executive’s attention, while Cleveland’s slow start has prompted criticism over Dean Wade’s departure and lingering doubts from last season’s playoffs.

Lendeborg Gives Curry New Life as Warriors Win Eight Straight

After starting the season with three losses, Steph Curry looked frustrated. With Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody out for extended periods, recovering from knee injuries, and center Kristaps Porziņģis (illness) nowhere to be found, the Warriors seemed headed for a long, painful season.

“I thought Golden State was toast this season,” an NBA source said. “Yaxel has given them life.”

Taken No. 11 in June’s NBA Draft, Lendeborg is the early front-runner for Rookie of the Year. Averaging 21.4 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game, while shooting 44.3 percent from three, he’s been a key factor in the Warriors’ eight-game win streak.

“I liked him a lot last year at Michigan. I didn’t think he’d be a top-5 pick, but lottery,” the source continued. “Now if you were to draft, he’d be top-5 or even top-3.”

Meanwhile, Curry looks every bit the NBA superstar he’s been for much of his career, averaging 30.6 points per game on a blistering 45.7 percent from deep. Even at 38, Curry remains one of the league’s most lethal weapons. Adding a young, 20-point scorer alongside him has given him new life.

For Lendeborg, his age (23 at the time of the draft) was more of an issue, as he was an older prospect who transferred twice before winning the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championship with the Michigan Wolverines.

“I think his age hurt him, that and all the transfers,” the source argued. “Analytics is messing teams up, especially when it comes to age.”

If Lendeborg doesn’t have the upside of a 19- or 20-year-old, he also doesn’t have the downside. How many prospects actually pan out? Instead, he’s a known quantity, immediately impacting winning.

An Eastern Conference executive credited the supporting cast – Brandin Podziemski, De’Anthony Melton, Charles Bassey, Brandon Williams, Will Richard, and Al Horford – as “role players doing well.”

Still, it’s early in the season, and the Warriors just finished a six-game homestand.

“Let’s check back in on them after this road trip to see if this continues,” the executive cautioned, with the Warriors playing their next five away from the friendly confines of Chase Center.

Executive Credits Dončić and Reaves for Lakers Surprise Start

The Eastern Conference seemed poised to challenge the West after a busy offseason, with LeBron James joining the Philadelphia 76ers, Giannis Antetokounmpo sent to the Miami Heat (from the struggling Milwaukee Bucks), and Kawhi Leonard returning to the Toronto Raptors. Tyrese Haliburton was back (from an Achilles tear) with the Indiana Pacers. The Orlando Magic brought in a new head coach (Sean Sweeney) to help solve its offensive deficiencies.

What happened?

Instead of expected parity, the West has dominated. Beyond the 26-8 mismatch in interconference games, 10 teams in the West have winning records vs. five in the East. The Heat haven’t been great out of the gate. Leonard and Haliburton have been sidelined with injuries; so has Paolo Banchero with the Magic. Meanwhile, a couple of teams in the West are better than projected.

“I never envisioned the [Los Angeles] Lakers and Warriors doing this!” an Eastern Conference executive said. “It doesn’t make sense! It might be continuity.”

The Lakers (10-2) are in first place, a half-game ahead of the San Antonio Spurs (9-2) and 1.5 games ahead of the Warriors, who are tied with the Houston Rockets, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Oklahoma City Thunder at 8-3.

The argument for continuity is iffy; the Lakers turned over nearly their entire roster.

“Luka [Dončić] and Austin [Reaves]! Plus the chemistry they have and vibes,” the executive countered, while noting it’s still early in the season to draw serious conclusions. “But there are definitely already plenty of takeaways.”

Cavs Carrying Playoff Doubts After Dean Wade Exit, Executive Says

Lack of continuity can matter after the loss of a key role player, like the Cleveland Cavaliers (52-30 last season) choosing not to pay Dean Wade and later acquiring Peyton Watson from the Denver Nuggets. Cleveland (5-6) has started slowly, and it could be because of this. Watson is shooting just 21.6 percent from three.

“Wade is way underrated. And Watson is just the optics,” the executive said, pessimistic about the team. “[The] Cavs carrying over their doubts and negativity from the [playoffs].”

To be fair, the franchise advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals before losing to the eventual champion New York Knicks. Still, a bad playoff series can break a team, and the early vibes are off.

Meanwhile, Wade is taking just 3.0 shots in 24.4 minutes per game in Philadelphia, but he impacts winning.

“He defends and processes quick. He also moves the ball, rebounds, and makes open shots well,” said a source on the 29-year-old veteran.

Wade will earn $9 million this season. Watson, at $20.5 million, will gradually adjust to his new squad—at least that’s what the Cavaliers desperately need to return to form as a deep postseason contender.