Warriors training camp takeaways: Praise grows for two offseason signings originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
LAIE, Hawaii – Intensity was replaced by intentionality Friday during the Warriors’ fourth practice of training camp on the campus of BYU-Hawaii.
The day prior was the Warriors’ hardest scrimmage thus far of training camp. Competitive spirit echoes throughout the gym. The blue team wanted to beat the yellow team and vice versa, with those in red jerseys showing they belong too. Hours later, the Warriors continued their team bonding with a luau at their team hotel.
“The culture that they’ve built here over the last 10-plus years has been amazing,” Warriors forward Georges Niang said. “To be actually a part of it, not on the outside looking in, is really cool.”
Friday was a day for the film room and jogging through actions, as opposed to the physicality of Thursday’s scrimmage. Warriors coach Steve Kerr said his team “needed a day like this,” and that Saturday will be “short and crisp” as a final tune up for Sunday’s preseason opener.
Here are three takeaways from the Warriors’ fourth day of training camp, which featured comments from Kerr, Niang and Gui Santos.
Film Review
After going over the film, Kerr likes what he sees while knowing plenty of room for improvement is there.
“We’re getting better,” Kerr said. “Our transition offense was way better than it was the first two days, which is a big key for us. Our transition game left so many points on the on the board last year, so we’re working hard on that.
“Defensively, some good stuff. I think the guys are really taking to Coach [Frank] Vogel’s terminology, to his schemes, and a lot of great discussion amongst the players and staff as far as what we’re trying to accomplish. Slowly but surely, we’re getting there.”
The Warriors scored the fourth-fewest points per game in transition (19.7) last season. Only the Boston Celtics (19.4), Brooklyn Nets (19.2) and Milwaukee Bucks (19.2) were below them.
They also ranked 24th in transition possessions per game (18.1), 28th in transition frequency percentage (16.0) and 27th in transition points per possession (1.08). Overall, those stats, plus a handful of others, placed them 10.3 percentile of transition offense throughout the NBA.
“The theme this year is we have to be better,” Kerr said. “We’ve got to be better, and from my perspective, what I have to do better is get more organized. The whole theme of the offense is to be spaced and organized and in concert. As I told you guys, we can’t play out of chaos anymore, because it’s a different era in the league. We’re in a different spot, talent-wise. Where I failed them last year was not helping them close out these games, the multiple games that we lost – five, six games – and it wasn’t necessarily late-game execution as much as it was giving away too many points during the 48 minutes of the game, where we’re turning it over, we’re not executing well enough.
“That’s why we worked so hard over the summer to reimagine our our plan, and that’s what we’re implementing.”
The Praise Continues
Several players shined during Thursday’s scrimmage. Brandin Podziemski’s offensive arsenal was impressive. De’Anthony Melton’s two-way impact was felt, and Niang showed off his shot from long distance.
But there’s another name people can’t stop talking about: Brandon Williams.
Blink, and you’ll miss him. His speed is something the Warriors have missed for years. And it’s a trait that reminds Kerr of a former fan favorite.
“He’s the fastest guy we’ve ever had here,” Kerr said. “[Leandro] Barbosa would come to mind for me. Barbosa was lightning. Brandon’s more on ball. LB was a lot was off-ball transition, running ahead, catching and finishing. Brandon is probably more of a high pick-and-roll speedster, and it changes the calculus. It gives you more options.”
There’s a reason Barbosa famously was called “The Brazilian Blur.” Williams is one of a select few Warriors who doesn’t have a wild nickname on his Basketball Reference page. Niang might have found the perfect one for him.
“He has a unique ability to just take off when he gets the ball,” Niang said. “He’s kind of like the Road Runner, right? He’s just like, ‘Meep meep,’ and gets to places where he wants to. As a guy like myself that moves from slow to slower, I can appreciate how fast he moves.”
Williams and Santos already are building chemistry with the second unit. When asked about Williams’ speed, Santos smiled and his eyes lit up.
“That guy’s fast, man,” Santos said while laughing. “I think yesterday you guys could see it, but he’s really, really fast. When he’s in position and he chooses a side and he’s going to go that way, it’s really, really hard to stop him.”
Adding the speed of Williams, along with his ability to get by his defender and score or make a play, have the Warriors excited about their improvements offensively in transition.
The Minivan
Speaking of great nicknames, Niang, or “Minivan” to others, just might have the best on the Warriors. He also has been a welcome addition on the court as a full-circle moment.
Niang, 33, who is listed at 6-foot-6 and 230 pounds, was part of the yellow team in Thursday’s scrimmage. He was surrounded by Williams, Santos, De’Anthony Melton and Gary Payton II. In that group, Niang essentially is a small-ball center.
Per Basketball Reference’s position estimate tool, Niang spent 8 percent of his time playing center between the Cleveland Cavaliers and Atlanta Hawks in the 2024-25 NBA season. He missed all last season to an injury sustained in training camp. Playing the position in a Warriors jersey this season doesn’t worry Niang one bit.
For him, after a lost season, it’s all about finding any way to get on the court.
“I think at this point, if you’re on the court, you better feel comfortable,” Niang said. “That’s the biggest thing. You want playing time, you figure out where and how to be comfortable, and you find ways to implement things that you can do that can help your team.”
The Warriors have used several players who aren’t traditional centers at the position over the years. Kerr isn’t one to put someone in a box. He wants versatile players who can make multiple combinations work, and that’s what he sees in Niang.
“Georges is just a hell of a basketball player,” Kerr said. “He can play with any combination. If he’s your small-ball five, offensively you’re going to really be lethal. Defensively, you’re not going to have a lot of rim protection or verticality at the rim, lob threat, obviously. He’s capable of playing small-ball five, but you got to put the right group around him – more for your defense than for your offense.
“And it’s no different than most players. You always have to find the right five-man group to be the best two-way team you can be.”
Niang played 79 games in the 2024-25 season and averaged a career-high 9.9 points per game, while shooting 40.6 percent from the 3-point line on a career-high 5.2 attempts per game.
