How Brandon Williams can give Warriors the ‘weapon' they've been missing originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Brandon Williams is small, shoots poorly from distance, will struggle on defense and might be the answer to an issue that has cost the Warriors in recent seasons.
Williams brings the kind of dazzling quickness Golden State has lacked since Jordan Poole’s lamentable exit three years ago. Though he doesn’t have Poole’s comprehensive offensive skills, Williams is an asset because he has the speed to get to the rim as a matter of routine.
That was plainly evident Sunday during the Warriors’ 104-101 loss to the LA Clippers at the Stan Sheriff Center on the University of Hawaii. It was an utterly defective performance by both teams, as is typical for an NBA preseason opener, but Williams’ Golden State debut was among the encouraging elements.
“We haven’t had anybody like Brandon here since I’ve been here,” coach Steve Kerr told reporters in Honolulu. “Just the on-ball speed and the ability to get into transition . . . he’s a real weapon.”
Playing 16 minutes off the bench, Williams submitted 11 points, three assists, two rebounds, one steal and a team-best plus-16. The 6-foot-1 guard shot 4 of 9 from the field and missed both attempts from deep.
Two things were obvious: Williams injected immediate energy into the Warriors’ offense and posed serious challenges for the Clippers’ defense. His offensive firepower was the primary factor in Golden State plucking Williams from the free-agent market in late August.
“That’s why they brought me here,” Williams said. “Play free, get out in transition, keep the team organized, especially in that second unit, and limit the turnovers. That was pretty a big thing today.”
The teams combined for 38 turnovers, with the Warriors committing 16 to gift the Clippers with 24 points. Williams committed only one but, knowing Kerr is emphasizing reducing turnovers, admitted it’s an area that will need work.
“We got lots to improve on,” Williams said. “Today was pretty nasty; we turned the ball over a lot as a team. It was going to happen. We were expecting that today, so as the preseason keeps going, hopefully we can cut down those turnovers and play more together as a team.”
As Williams came off the floor with six minutes remaining, he was greeted by Kerr, who was smiling as they exchanged daps. Williams will be a test case of sorts; someone the Warriors hope can offset his weaknesses by punishing opponents with his quickness.
Golden State is Williams’ fourth stop in the NBA. Undrafted coming out of the University of Arizona in 2021, he began with a 10-day contract from Portland, took one year in the G League, returning in September 2023. He lasted six weeks with Orlando before being waived, after which he landed in Dallas, where he spent three seasons.
As a Maverick, Williams was a threat in the paint, shooting 55.2 percent inside the arc last season and 57.8 percent in 2024-25. His 3-point shooting, however, was a profound weakness. In 116 games with the Mavericks, he shot 27.4 percent from deep.
Because of his shoddy 3-point shooting, defenses tended to sag Williams, practically daring him to launch. Sometimes he did. Other times, he still was able to sprint past defenders and penetrate all the way to the rim. He’ll get similar treatment until he proves his 3-ball.
“I’m just taking what the defense gives,” he said. “I know there’s a few times where I turned (down the shot), and Steve told me to let it go, so I’ve just got to play the game and just be natural.”
From the looks of it, he’ll still be able to get to his favored spots, which is the key to generating individual offense.
